"So, you were originally in the same class as Oguri Cap?"
Accompanying Sakura Chiyono O, Oguri Cap's mother let out a soft chuckle, while Chiyono O beside her shyly folded her ears back.
"Not exactly. Oguri Cap has such a good nature, so everyone gets along well with her."
"Could you tell me a bit about Oguri Cap? That child never contacts me, so I have no idea how she's doing these days."
Mentioning this, Oguri Cap's mother felt a bit helpless.
Even though they shared such a deep bond, her silly daughter never took the initiative to call home, which upset her greatly.
"About Oguri Cap... Well, I don't know too much, but there are a few funny stories."
Scratching her cheek with her index finger, Sakura Chiyono O laughed awkwardly.
Platinum, though too lazy to speak up, quietly pricked her ears up just a little.
"The most memorable thing is definitely her showdowns with the cafeteria staff."
"..."
For some reason, the gentle smile that had always graced Oguri Cap's mother's face suddenly froze.
But Sakura Chiyono O, completely unaware, continued earnestly recalling the cafeteria incidents.
"I remember, every time the cafeteria staff saw Oguri Cap, they'd hide all the intricate, labor-intensive dishes and only leave out the simple, easy-to-make stuff—like yakisoba, fried cutlets, milk, that kind of thing."
"At first, Oguri Cap seemed really happy with the food. But later, she started wanting to try other things. The cafeteria staff absolutely refused to let her have any of those, though."
"Then one day, the staff noticed that cakes, steaks, ice cream—all sorts of things—were disappearing in large quantities. They investigated for days but found nothing."
"Finally, they came up with a plan: they sprinkled edible fluorescent powder on those foods. After the food went missing during dinner, they suddenly turned off all the lights in the cafeteria. The glow coming off one particular Uma Musume was so bright you could've used her as a lightbulb."
"It turned out Oguri Cap had been using disguises. A new disguise for each trip. Even the school chairman heard about it and was impressed by Oguri Cap's relentless determination to eat."
"Haha, haha..."
Oguri Cap's mother laughed dryly.
"Things like that happened a few more times later. Like Oguri Cap disguising herself as a chef to sneak food, or practicing ninja techniques tirelessly..."
"Eventually, the cafeteria surrendered. They formed a dedicated team just to provide food for Oguri Cap, including the head of the cafeteria himself. I heard the student council president personally approved it."
Oguri Cap's mother couldn't even manage a dry laugh now. She covered her face with her hands, utterly mortified.
"Oguri Cap has caused you all so much trouble."
"Actually, it's not so bad. Having a friend and rival like Oguri Cap is a rare blessing. Even now, I still wish for a chance to compete against her on the track."
Clenching her fists, Chiyono O's face was full of anticipation, but the mood was broken by Platinum's deadpan remark from the side.
"Well, it's not like you guys have to cook for her, right?"
"That... well, yes, that's true."
Chiyono O really couldn't argue with that. Fortunately, their walk together was coming to an end.
"Well, Auntie, Oguri Cap is just ahead. Centaurea will take you from here."
Leading Oguri Cap's mother to the edge of the field, Chiyono O pointed towards the area Oguri Cap and her group had been using lately.
"As for me, I have my own training to attend to, so I'm afraid I must take my leave."
She apologized to the mother, but this apology was met with a grateful hug.
"Not at all. Meeting such a warm-hearted girl like you is my luck. Stay just as joyful, alright? Until next time."
After the hug, Oguri Cap's mother ruffled Sakura Chiyono O's head again, watching her run off with flushed cheeks, a gentle smile on her face.
"Now, I'll have to trouble you, Centaurea."
Turning back, Oguri Cap's mother clasped her hands together in front of her chest and smiled, seeking Platinum's assistance.
"No problem, it's my task anyway. Follow me."
Stretching lazily, Platinum walked slightly ahead, and the two of them quietly circled around, deliberately avoiding Oguri Cap's line of sight, approaching her from behind.
Meanwhile, Sakura Chiyono O was still mulling things over in her head.
'Oguri Cap's mother is so beautiful and gentle. She speaks so kindly and cares for others. How did such a wonderful mother end up raising such a goofy-looking daughter like Oguri Cap?'
(A/N: Yes, the author also thinks Oguri Cap's mother is more appealing.)
Switching back to the scene, Oguri Cap was currently sitting on a bench, listening to Berno Light explain the training plan.
"The trainer said the race is the day after tomorrow. This is the final training session. After this, we just need to run a few laps daily to maintain feel, but tomorrow we've applied for a practice session at Tokyo Racecourse. Don't be late..."
Although Berno Light kept talking, and Oguri Cap wore an expression that said 'you're absolutely right,' her vacant eyes revealed she hadn't taken in a single word.
"Oguri."
Then, a familiar call came from behind. It was so familiar that before Oguri Cap herself could even process it, her ears and tail had already started wagging expertly.
"Mom!"
Oguri Cap turned around excitedly, so excited that she toppled right off the bench, landing face-first on the ground.
"..."
Everyone stared speechlessly at the dappled grey goofball planted in the grass.
"Sigh~~"
Oguri Cap's mother let out a long sigh, stepped forward, helped Oguri Cap up from the ground, and then knelt down to brush the dirt off her.
"It's been a year since we last saw each other, but my daughter hasn't improved her life skills one bit. This worries your mother so much."
For once, Oguri Cap was unusually quiet under this treatment. She just watched silently as her mother straightened her clothes, not saying a word.
Only her clear blue eyes shimmered with a unique light.
"What's wrong, my daughter? No reaction upon seeing your mom?"
After fixing all of Oguri Cap's clothes, the mother stood up and opened her arms to the being she loved most in this world.
Thud.
No words were needed. Oguri Cap leaned forward and fell entirely into her mother's embrace. Two nearly identical grey-haired figures held each other tightly.
Although no touching words were spoken, the scene itself was the ultimate embodiment of the word "warmth."
'If only Nearl were here, her drawing skills would've come in handy.'
Platinum watched quietly from the side, tugging at her collar slightly to hide her faint smile.
A moment later, the two separated. Oguri Cap's mother pulled a carrot from her bag and handed it to Oguri Cap—a habit clearly cultivated over many years.
Only Platinum was puzzled.
'This scene feels familiar somehow.'
--+--
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.