Although Nearl wasn't quite used to Oguri Cap's mother's sudden burst of warmth, the goal of getting to know each other better was certainly achieved.
Nearl figured that after meeting her, Oguri's mom wouldn't have to worry about her daughter falling in with some ill-intentioned crowd;
and after learning about Nearl's character and qualities, Mrs. Oguri felt at ease entrusting her daughter to Nearl, even hinting that Oguri should stick close to her.
Nearl believed they'd reached a mutual understanding about her being a friend to Oguri Cap.
[Though after Nearl left, Mrs. Oguri called Oguri Cap over for a little chat, which resulted in Oguri blushing faintly the next time she laid eyes on Nearl.]
After that, Nearl practically became a second mother to Oguri Cap—cooking for her, sometimes mending her tracksuit, often sparring with her, and so on.
The financial situation at Oguri's home had improved too. Every time Nearl visited, she'd notice a piece or two of furniture had been replaced with something new.
"We don't have to worry about feeding our girl anymore, though I'm not quite sure how you managed it, dear Nearl,"
Mrs. Oguri remarked with feeling.
Once, Nearl had asked why they didn't move somewhere else now that they had the means, since the apartment was really quite old.
Mrs. Oguri had looked embarrassed at the question.
"Well, the rent's cheap here. It's a bit awkward to say, but I'm always worried my daughter might have another growth spurt in her appetite, you know? So I thought it's better to save a bit more, just in case. That way, even after feeding her, we won't slip back into how things were before. But the furniture was honestly falling apart, so we spent a little to replace some of it."
Later, when Oguri Cap was accepted into Kasamatsu Tracen, it became the school's turn to worry about her meals. Mrs. Oguri finally relaxed, but by then she'd grown used to the apartment, so they never ended up moving.
--+--
Back to the present, Nearl and Oguri Cap had reached the doorstep.
Tap, tap, tap.
Nearl knocked gently three times.
Swoosh—
The door slid open quickly, revealing a gentle, lovely face—Oguri Cap's mother. Anyone who saw the two together would remark how Oguri's striking good looks were perfectly inherited from her mother.
Same dapple-gray hair, but unlike Oguri's wild, wind-swept mane, her mother's was neatly braided and draped over her shoulder, radiating a gentle, maternal warmth at first glance.
Paired with a brown sweater and a light-colored long skirt, even if youth had faded, her mature charm was all the more captivating.
[Let's just say, Oguri Cap , you've still got some growing up to do.]
"Oh, little Nearl! Come here and give your auntie a hug. Really, I've missed you so much! Why haven't you visited lately?"
Seeing Nearl at the door, Mrs. Oguri's eyes lit up instantly—her excitement and affection so obvious even Oguri could see it.
She quickly slid the door open, reached out, and pulled Nearl into a tight embrace. One hand ruffled Nearl's hair vigorously, occasionally giving her ear a playful ruffle, laughing delightedly as Nearl's golden ears twitched and shyly tried to evade.
Once pulled into the hug, Nearl let Mrs. Oguri pet her head without resistance. Though a faint blush rose on her cheeks from embarrassment, she stayed obediently nestled in the embrace without struggling.
It wasn't that Nearl was acting spoiled—she wasn't that lonely. She just understood how much Mrs. Oguri adored her and went along with it.
Nearby, Oguri Cap pouted at being ignored by her mother, her cheeks puffed up like balloons. She stared straight at her mom, eyes full of accusation, which only made Mrs. Oguri laugh.
"You're such a big girl now, still acting so clingy. If you learned a little of Nearl's steadiness, I wouldn't have to worry about you all the time."
Releasing Nearl, Mrs. Oguri turned and pulled Oguri into a hug too, stroking her hair while gently scolding her.
Oguri wore an expression that said 'I'm not listening,' nuzzling insistently into her mother's embrace. Watching the scene, Nearl felt a warm glow in her heart.
"Alright, enough sulking. Come on inside."
A few minutes later, Mrs. Oguri gently pushed Oguri Cap away and invited Nearl in.
"Thank you, Auntie Oguri."
Nearl expressed her thanks and stepped inside familiarly, glancing around the room she and Mrs. Oguri had fixed up together.
The worn-out tatami had been replaced with brand new ones, their pale beige hue radiating a cozy, lived-in warmth. The ragged futon had been re-covered, no longer patched and sorry-looking. Wallpaper now covered the aging walls, brightening the whole room instantly.
Settling around the low table, Mrs. Oguri poured Nearl a drink and asked what brought her by.
"Little Nearl, what brings you here with Oguri today? Did you miss your auntie?"
"I'm afraid I might be causing you trouble this time, Auntie."
Nearl replied with a hint of shyness.
"I passed the entrance test for Kasamatsu Tracen today. I start the day after tomorrow, so I was hoping I could stay with you for these two days."
"Really!? You're going to be an Uma Musume too, little Nearl!"
Hearing this, Mrs. Oguri grew excited, her face full of delight.
"Mom, Margaret is really strong. She's going to be my biggest rival."
Oguri Cap chimed in, her face also alight with excitement.
"Ow! Mom, why'd you flick my forehead?"
Mrs. Oguri had suddenly tapped Oguri Cap's head with a 'you're so hopeless' look, making Oguri Cap clutch her forehead pitifully.
Mrs. Oguri sighed and turned back to Nearl.
"Congratulations, dear. Becoming an Uma Musume is every horse girl's dream. I hope you'll keep running on that track as long as you can. And staying here is no trouble at all—I've long considered you family. Stay as long as you need. Though I might need your help looking after this one."
"Auntie Oguri… I won't say thank you, then. Please let me help with anything I can. I'm used to taking care of family, and Oguri is easy to look after."
A warm smile spread across Nearl's face as she gratefully accepted Mrs. Oguri's kindness. She thought Mrs. Oguri was truly too kind—treating her like a daughter even though she was just Oguri Cap's friend, practically wishing she'd move in permanently.
"Well, it's getting late. I need to start dinner for Oguri. Little Nearl, want to give your auntie a hand?"
Mrs. Oguri glanced at the clock—3:30—and stood up, heading toward the kitchen while inviting Nearl along.
"Of course I'll help. I didn't bring any ingredients today, and filling Oguri Cap up with ordinary portions is still a bit of a challenge."
Nearl readily agreed.
"Hehe, I'll leave the ingredient decisions to you, dear Nearl."
The two fell into a comfortable rhythm cooking together. Bored now that she couldn't help, Oguri Cap went outside for a run in the nearby empty lot, making her mother shake her head fondly.
"This girl, really… Little Nearl, what do you think of our Oguri? She's still quite, well, a lovely girl, isn't she?"
Once Oguri Cap was out of earshot, her mother turned to Nearl, who was washing vegetables, and asked with a warm smile.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.