As the sun neared the horizon, painting the sky in shades of tangerine, Oguri Cap and her mother finally drew their happy day to a close.
"Did you have fun today, sweetie?"
Walking alongside her daughter through the quiet park, Oguri's mother gently asked about her feelings.
"I did, but I'm never getting on a roller coaster again."
Oguri Cap's face fell slightly at the memory of the amusement park, but soon a happy smile returned.
"Is that so? Well, I'm glad."
Patting her daughter's head, Oguri's mother gradually grew more resolute.
"Tell me, dear."
"Hm?"
Oguri Cap turned in confusion, only to see her mother's calm expression, which made her heart skip a beat.
"What do you think you're running for, the moment you step onto the track?"
Her mother's face was serious as she posed the question.
Her blue eyes, so much like her daughter's, fixed intently on Oguri Cap, waiting for an answer.
"To win, I guess. Isn't that why everyone tries so hard?"
Though something felt off, Oguri Cap still voiced her current view.
"…I see. That clears things up."
Oguri's mother shook her head, gazing at her daughter with a hint of regret. Then she straightened up, withdrew her hand, and spoke calmly.
"Oguri Cap, race your mother."
"?"
Oguri Cap stared blankly, like a computer that had just blue-screened.
Mother and daughter stood locked in silence, the older woman's serious eyes unwavering.
"Huh? Why?"
It took nearly a full minute for Oguri Cap to process the words, her face a mask of shock.
"I'll tell you after we run. First, race your mother—and no refusing."
"...Alright."
Seeing her mother's stern look, Oguri Cap knew there was no way out, so she nodded in agreement.
They quickly made their way to the running path. The park centered around a large lake, encircled by a decently built track.
Of course, it was nowhere near professional standards, but it would do for now.
"Mom…"
Though ready to run, Oguri Cap still hesitated.
It wasn't her first time running with her mother, but that was from long ago, back in childhood.
Those were just playful runs—nothing like this serious atmosphere.
"Ready?"
Beside her, Oguri's mother paid no mind to her daughter's unease. With a focused expression, she gave the starting signal and took off.
It was only then that Oguri Cap noticed her mother had worn sneakers today.
"Go!"
As the word fell, Oguri's mother sprinted forward, her form still bearing traces of her younger self, the transition from stillness to motion smoothly controlled.
But it made no difference. A gray figure blew past her in an instant, charging ahead.
It was Oguri Cap.
Even distracted, the start of a race was an instinct carved into her very bones.
Though her mind was adrift, her body reacted on its own.
And honestly, the gap between Oguri Cap and her mother was far too wide.
One was a top-tier Uma Musume in central Japan; the other, a single mother worn by years of labor. The difference between them exceeded even the divide between central and local Uma Musume.
In her youth, Oguri's mother had been fairly strong locally, but now she was far from that level.
'She can't keep up at all. I've never felt a race this easy.'
As she ran, the thought crossed Oguri Cap's mind, but she couldn't grasp what her mother was thinking.
The outcome was never in doubt—Oguri Cap won the mother-daughter race.
She had won by a landslide.
She had crossed the finish line long before her mother, who arrived gasping for breath.
And from her exhausted state, it was clear she had given it her all.
"Hah… hah… I just can't keep up anymore… My daughter has grown so strong…"
Supported by Oguri Cap, her mother panted heavily, struggling to string words together.
Finally, Oguri Cap couldn't hold back anymore. She looked at her mother, perplexed.
"So why did you want to race, Mom? When you…"
"When I stood no chance of winning?"
Oguri's mother smiled, cutting her off mid-sentence. Left speechless, Oguri Cap could only nod.
"Oh, when will my silly girl get a little wiser?"
Oguri's mother sighed, her frustration clearly genuine.
"Let me ask you—did you enjoy that race?"
After a moment's hesitation, Oguri Cap shook her head.
"Why? You won, didn't you? Or is it that without prizes or glory, winning means nothing to you?"
"That's not it, it's just…"
Oguri Cap's soft rebuttal died on her lips.
'Why? I know the answer—I should know it.'
A flicker of insight danced in her mind, just out of reach. The frustration was almost enough to kill her appetite.
"Oguri, remember this?"
Just then, Oguri Cap felt a familiar pressure kneading into her knees.
The sensation was so known, yet so distant.
"It's a massage. You used to do this for me when I was little."
Her mother's hands continued the motion, now stiff and unpracticed from years of disuse.
But that very feeling instantly carried Oguri Cap back to her childhood.
"So I'll ask you again, Oguri Cap—what are you running for?"
Her mother's face was right before her, but Oguri Cap seemed to see a vision of the past.
She saw herself, unable to stand, barely crawling along the ground.
And then herself, finally standing, walking, embracing her mother amid tears and laughter.
So that was it. That was it all along.
The answer had been there all the while.
"For me… for me…"
Gently, she laid her hands over her mother's, her expression softer than ever before.
"I run because it makes me happy. That's why I step onto the track. Just to give thanks for this miracle—that's why I run with all I have."
A shimmer of tears gradually moistened her sapphire eyes, but beneath them shone a smile warm as the sun.
'Crack, crack! Snap!'
Sounds no ordinary person could hear rang out as the dark path ahead shattered completely.
[Domain], acquired.
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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.