...
After Dextrous Bailey left in tears, Lucian turned his gaze to Seiun Sky and Silence Suzuka.
"You suddenly pulled me away earlier—what was that about?"
Seiun Sky answered evasively, "That scary Trainer just now was really terrifying."
Lucian knew she was referring to him and sighed. "I did act a bit impulsively."
He couldn't control or hold back his emotions.
"But..." Seiun Sky's tone suddenly shifted, and she smiled. "It was cool!"
Lucian froze, only to see Silence Suzuka nod in agreement. "It really was cool. We pulled you away because we were afraid you'd hit her."
"Hit her? I wouldn't go that far. If I did, I'd be the one in the wrong." Lucian was relieved that they understood.
"This is the first time I've seen you so worked up, Lucian-kun."
Silence Suzuka had spent the most time with Lucian, so her words carried weight.
If Lucian had directed that same expression at her earlier, Silence Suzuka felt she might have burst into tears on the spot.
It seemed she shouldn't provoke Lucian's anger in the future.
"I didn't want to, but that behavior was really dangerous. If something happened to her eyes, how would Spe-chan compete in the future?"
"Besides, I've said it before Spe-chan just transferred here. She doesn't have many friends, and she's too honest for her own good."
"If she could stand up for herself after being bullied, I'd be overjoyed."
"But would she? As her Trainer, if I don't back her up, who will?"
...
Lucian vented his anger through his words, speaking more and more as he went.
But he didn't notice the two additional pairs of eyes watching him from behind.
Unbeknownst to him, Special Week and Haru Urara had arrived at some point.
"Trainer-san..."
Hearing her voice, Lucian turned around with a smile. "Spe-chan, congrats—"
Before he could finish, warmth pressed against him, briefly cutting off his words.
Special Week wrapped her arms around Lucian's waist, burying her face in his chest as tears streamed down her face. "Thank you... really, thank you..."
Her embrace was light, yet carried an immense weight.
Understanding her emotions, Lucian hesitated for a moment before gently placing his hands on her back, patting her softly.
For a brief instant, he felt as if his past mistakes had been forgiven.
"Spe-chan, you heard everything?"
"Mhm."
"Just focus on running. The rest is your Trainer's responsibility." Lucian patted her again. "Alright, no more crying."
"Okay." Special Week quickly wiped away her tears.
Only then did a belated sense of shyness rise within her, painting her cheeks a soft red.
Trainer-san's embrace was so warm... so comforting...
Now, however, Special Week cleverly changed the subject. "Trainer-san, for the celebration party, I want to eat lots of carrots!"
"No problem. I know plenty of ways to cook carrots."
"Really?! That's amazing!!"
"Trainer, Urara wants to eat too!"
"You'll have to discuss that with Spe-chan. After all, this party is for her victory."
"Spe-chan!" Haru Urara grabbed Special Week's hand and began whispering into her ear.
...
Silence Suzuka watched the scene with a smile—envious, but not jealous.
While she was happy for Special Week, she also felt a quiet joy for herself.
Seiun Sky felt the same, glad she had joined the right team and found the right Trainer.
...
The group packed up their things and headed out.
It wasn't until they reached the parking lot that Silence Suzuka realized something had been forgotten.
"Suzuka, did you leave something behind again?" Special Week teased, already used to it.
"I did forget something, but it's not mine—it's related to you."
"Related to me?" Special Week thought for a moment but couldn't recall forgetting anything.
Instead of answering, Silence Suzuka looked at Lucian. "Lucian-kun, did you forget something too?"
Seiun Sky caught on, stifling a laugh beside them.
"Did I forget something?" Lucian was even more confused.
He couldn't figure it out and even glanced at Haru Urara.
Urara hadn't left anything behind either—what else could it be?
"Wait, now that you mention it..." Lucian grasped at a fleeting thought, his eyes widening. "Oh no! The Winner's Ceremony!"
...
Oh no, indeed.
If they had simply lost track of time, they could still make it.
But forgetting the rehearsal? That was a disaster.
Special Week's situation was clearly the latter—not only had she missed practice, she hadn't even learned the dance yet.
So when she stood frozen at the center of the stage, staring helplessly at the sky in despair,
Lucian couldn't help but laugh shamelessly from the audience. "Pfft—HAHAHA!"
"Spe-chan can be such a ditz sometimes." Silence Suzuka also struggled to hold back her laughter, though she suddenly remembered the time Lucian had taken photos of her to make memes. "But Lucian-kun, maybe you shouldn't take pictures this time?"
"You're right. There'll probably be a school news report tomorrow with Spe-chan's photos."
"That's not what I meant..."
Seiun Sky watched Special Week on stage, a competitive fire burning in her eyes.
She and Special Week were from the same class, but Seiun Sky had debuted earlier and had more wins under her belt.
In future major races, they were bound to face each other often.
...
Though tonight's Winner's Ceremony was a bit clumsy, the audience's enthusiasm never waned, their cheers unending.
Aside from Special Week's embarrassment, another horse girl also made a spectacle of herself—Dextrous Bailey.
But it wasn't due to lack of practice—rather, her movements were uncoordinated.
Almost as if she was holding something back...
Lucian naturally noticed her too, figuring she was still haunted by the events of that afternoon.
This girl had probably been used to doing as she pleased, with no one daring to stand up to her before.
His sudden scolding must have shaken her.
But that wasn't Lucian's concern anymore. He just wanted to see if Dextrous Bailey would show up tomorrow.
If she didn't, he'd keep his word and file for arbitration with the judges.