...It was just that he couldn't become Rice Shower's "salvation." Even though he knew the outcome, even though he wanted to change everything from the beginning, a single wrong choice had made it all happen again right in front of him.
Seemingly lost in old memories, the light in Ryuichi's eyes dimmed for a moment. But it quickly returned, as if nothing had happened. He smiled at Rice, smiled at this healthy Uma Musume who no longer had to face that fate.
"It's no big deal, student Rice Shower. But please be careful and watch where you're going next time."
"Y-yes." Rice was surprised that the rumored genius trainer was so friendly, treating an inconspicuous Uma Musume like her with such importance. She nodded timidly.
But she still couldn't help but look up at him. When she saw his face, she stared for a long time without looking away, just blinking gently.
"...What is it? Is there something on my face?"
"N-no, it's not that. It's just... Rice doesn't know why, but just looking at you, Trainer Kitano, makes me feel very happy..."
The moment the words left her mouth, she realized how strange they sounded. She immediately blushed and waved her hands frantically.
"No, no, that's not it! Rice isn't happy just because she saw you—Waaah, I don't know how to say it right!"
Rice! What are you doing! she questioned herself in her heart. Having fumbled her words twice in a row, the thin-skinned girl was so embarrassed she wanted to dig a hole and hide. All she could do was stammer "ah, ah, ooh, ooh," like a toddler learning to speak.
However, seeing her adorable state, Ryuichi's own mood brightened considerably. After a good while, he chuckled softly.
"—It's okay, student Rice Shower. I'm very happy to see you, too."
He no longer planned to let Rice suffer by his side again, but he couldn't bring himself to just ignore her. How could he ignore this girl, the girl he saw as his "salvation"?
But, if he couldn't ignore her, he could at least be kind to her. He might no longer be qualified to be her trainer, her "Onii-sama," but perhaps this time, he could be as kind as possible to this girl.
He might not be able to change everything, but at the very least, he could give her a smile, a hug, and a heart that wished her happiness.
"Goodbye, Rice. I hope you have a good day."
It was a simple encounter. He didn't linger. He felt that as a "stranger" in her eyes, giving this much warmth was enough. Too much at once would just be overwhelming.
Rice watched him slowly walk away. After a long moment, she bowed towards his retreating back and said, her voice filled with excitement:
"Y-yes! I hope you have a good day too, Trainer Kitano!"
For the first time, Rice spoke to him in a louder voice than usual. She saw him turn slightly in the distance and wave goodbye to her. A smile bloomed on her face as she waved back.
She kept watching until his figure grew smaller and smaller, until it disappeared completely. Only then did she reluctantly lower her hand. Her gaze returned to her phone, to the many private messages sent to her.
And this time, without a second's hesitation, she sent a mass message to all of them.
"Yes, Rice really does know Trainer Kitano."
After sending it, she was, as expected, flooded with another wave of replies. The envy in all of them made a smile bloom on her face once again.
But one message, in particular, caught her attention.
"That's so great, Rice, that you actually know him—so have you thought about becoming his assigned Uma Musume? I heard if you win the selection race in a week, you can become his very first charge!"
"Trainer Kitano's very first assigned Uma Musume..."
Rice murmured the words to herself. The initial excitement she felt upon seeing the message gave way to hesitation. But with it, a small seed was planted in the soil of her heart.
The selection race... Can Rice... try to compete for it too?
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