As night fell, the city lights began to glow.
Barbatos rode her electric wheelchair alongside Seiun Sky, heading toward the nearby Naritasan Shinsho-ji Temple.
Along the road, festive banners and signs unique to the New Year season lined the way.
Every now and then, groups of young children dashed past, soaking up the rare holiday atmosphere. Some elderly folks, dressed in kimonos, strolled together in pairs—not necessarily on their way to pray, perhaps just taking an after-dinner walk to enjoy the celebratory mood.
Even so, the streets weren't particularly crowded.
For now, no one had come up to greet her.
She was still wearing her everyday clothes and hadn't changed into a kimono—even though her figure was close to Seiun Sky's, and she could have borrowed one. But sitting in a wheelchair, still unable to stand or walk, she simply wasn't suited for wearing a kimono.
What should have been a lovely date, a perfect moment for a confession, now felt out of place at every turn—just not the right time.
Just then, a few children scampered past, laughing and playing.
"Haha, you can't catch me! I'm Barbatos, the Wind God!"
Their young, bright voices rang out—clearly they were playing a make-believe chasing game.
Though they weren't Uma Musume themselves, they shared the same love for running. Maybe this early fondness would lead them to join school teams someday, even become famous athletes.
"So fast!!! Can't catch up at all! No way!"
"Hey, we're almost at the finish! It's my turn to be Barbatos next!"
The children's playful shouts faded into the distance, bringing a faint, amused smile to Barbatos's lips.
"That's nice," Seiun Sky said softly.
"Yeah. When I was little, I always pretended to be someone else. Now, there are kids pretending to be me."
Barbatos chuckled lightly.
Back in her childhood—her previous life—there were no Uma Musume. But there were still people she admired and looked up to.
She and her friends would play pretend, each taking on the role of their favorite characters. Often, they'd all want to be the same one, so they'd have to take turns.
And now, she had become one of those characters—someone children loved enough to take turns pretending to be.
"It feels good, being liked by them."
That's why she had to work even harder from now on—to live up to the hopes of those who supported and believed in her.
The two of them moved slowly through the deepening night, making their way up the hill.
Fortunately, Naritasan wasn't like the shrine near Tracen Academy.
If Barbatos had tried to go there, someone would probably have had to carry her up—endless steps, a common training route for Uma Musume practicing uphill sprints.
For Barbatos now, unable to walk, that would have been a nightmare. Even an electric wheelchair couldn't climb stairs.
Here at Naritasan, there were plenty of steps too, but because the temple often welcomed visitors from abroad, the path upward was more considerately designed—including a wheelchair-accessible ramp for "persons with disabilities." Even someone in a wheelchair could make it to the top.
Though if it were a manual wheelchair, your arms would certainly get a workout.
The children who had been running ahead earlier were long gone—maybe they'd turned onto another path, or simply dashed far ahead.
"Welcome, lovebirds!"
Once they reached the top, Barbatos and Seiun Sky—who had skipped dinner—approached a street stall. The vendor greeted them warmly.
During New Year's, it was common for couples to visit the mountain temple together.
Calling a man and woman "lovebirds" was usually a safe bet; even if they were actually siblings, they'd likely just laugh it off without correcting him.
But when the vendor got a clear look at the pair—both girls—he froze for a moment, embarrassed.
Romance between Uma Musume wasn't something everyone knew about unless they followed Uma Musume gossip closely.
The vendor just figured he'd called too many couples "lovebirds" yesterday and slipped up.
He was just wondering how to smooth things over and not scare off customers when he noticed the two exchange a glance, their lips curling into faint, knowing smiles.
It was exactly the same reaction he'd seen from some couples yesterday. Had he actually hit the mark by accident?
Two Uma Musume as a couple… well, that was something new.
"Honey milk tea, seventy percent sugar, no ice, half cup."
Seiun Sky placed her order—this was a milk tea stall.
Normally, as an Uma Musume, she'd probably go for a lightly sweetened one. Because of the demands of running, aside from rare exceptions like Special Week and Oguri Cap, most Uma Musume watched their diets closely. Gaining even a little weight could affect their speed.
But since it was New Year's, it was okay to indulge a bit—a normally sweetened cup was fine.
"Taro with bubbles, standard sugar, no ice, half cup."
Barbatos gave her order as well.
The vendor acknowledged them and turned to prepare the drinks, quietly marveling at the sight. To think he'd live to see two Uma Musume dating…
They hadn't confirmed it, but they hadn't denied it either—and to his experienced eye, it was obvious.
But why did the one in the wheelchair look so familiar? Had he seen her somewhere before?
Even after finishing the milk teas, he still couldn't place her. He took the cash and handed over the drinks.
'They're probably local Uma Musume here to pray,' he thought. 'No wonder she looks familiar—must've seen her around before.'
Barbatos and Seiun Sky sipped their milk tea.
They continued browsing the other snack stalls, planning to eat their fill before heading in to pray.
Gradually, their hands grew full with various snacks. While they usually practiced restraint, New Year's was a time to relax a little—if only for today.
The mindset was truly, "After this meal, back to the diet." It was a necessary discipline for any Uma Musume after debut. Even if they overindulged occasionally, they'd ramp up training to avoid gaining weight.
With their food in hand, Seiun Sky settled onto a stone bench.
Barbatos parked her wheelchair beside it, and the two began sharing the snacks they'd bought from the stalls.
"I really should've tried a different flavor while it's the New Year," Seiun Sky said with a hint of playful regret.
Honey flavor was one of the safer choices when having milk tea while watching your weight—a common pick for Uma Musume craving something sweet but trying to stay in shape.
"Want a sip of mine?" Barbatos offered her cup directly.
Seiun Sky surely knew what she wanted. Right now, she probably just "wanted to try Barbatos's drink."
Since Christmas, the two had been acting almost like a couple—the only thing missing was an official confession. Though neither had said it outright, they basically saw each other that way already.
They chose to interact like lovers, but the confession itself was a crucial step.
It had to happen at the most romantic, perfect moment—not right now.
Thinking this, Barbatos reached over and casually took Seiun Sky's honey milk tea for a sip.
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A/N: This part will progress a bit slower; the story should return to the racing rhythm within the next dozen chapters or so.
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T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 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.