The moment the Mejiro family's seven sisters appeared, the entryway of Oborozuki-an stirred into another small commotion.
Seven horse girls—each with her own distinct aura—standing together like a living spectacle.
Their eyes quickly settled on Chiharu Representative and Wuyou. Clearly, they recognized them as well.
"Oh my. Isn't that Chiharu?"
Mejiro Takamine spoke first with an elegant smile, the refined presence of a true young lady blooming fully around her.
The other sisters followed with friendly smiles of their own.
"What a coincidence," Chiharu replied with effortless poise.
Wuyou, standing beside her, dipped his head in polite greeting—then couldn't help but "read" the seven of them with his senses.
To be honest… no wonder they were Mejiro by blood.
Even with a rough first impression, he could feel it:
Every single one of them was exceptionally gifted.
Like Chiharu, they all possessed innate golden skills.
The trainer in his heart stirred at once—so much so that he almost unconsciously began sketching personalized training plans for each of them.
And while Wuyou was quietly assessing them, the seven sisters were doing the same to him.
They'd heard rumors about the "very capable" new trainer at Chiharu Representative's side—Wuyou.
Chiharu was famously free-spirited; any trainer she acknowledged had to be extraordinary. But they'd never seen him in person.
Now that they had, every one of their eyes flashed with the same brief spark of astonishment.
Handsome—truly handsome.
They were all young ladies, raised with refined tastes. Even Mejiro Ryan—who preferred working out over tea parties—had an aesthetic sense far beyond the average person's.
Wuyou's androgynous, universally appealing face was the sort you could put in front of an easel and call it art without the slightest hesitation.
And beyond that, they could smell it.
That subtle fragrance on him—gentle, soothing, yet dangerously attractive to horse girls—was unmistakable.
Good-looking, extremely capable, and he even smelled wonderful…
Their gazes slid to Chiharu, tinged with a mix of envy and teasing.
So this is what it looks like to be living well, huh, Chiharu?
A few simple pleasantries passed in a light atmosphere.
The Mejiro sisters showed polite curiosity toward Wuyou, but they didn't pry. For a first meeting, proper distance was good manners.
After exchanging a few words about recent events and their reasons for coming to relax here, Chiharu indicated they should head to their room and settle their luggage.
Wuyou offered a courteous farewell, turning to leave—
"Trainer Wuyou, please wait."
Mejiro Takamine's voice came from behind.
The other sisters couldn't help looking at their eldest.
Takamine was famously picky about men. The sisters often joked that no one in the world could ever meet her standards.
And if the man in question was a trainer? That came with an extra layer of penalty.
Takamine's selectiveness toward trainers was practically notorious.
Yet here she was, stopping a trainer of her own accord…
Wuyou paused and turned back.
Mejiro Takamine stepped forward, her calm eyes studying him closely. Her brows knit slightly, as if she'd slipped into a memory—or a confusion she couldn't quite name.
"Forgive my rudeness… but have we met somewhere before?"
Her tone was gentle, though threaded with uncertainty.
"There's something about you… an atmosphere that feels nostalgic. Distinctive."
Wuyou tilted his head faintly, considering.
He couldn't see, but his perception of voices and presence was exceptionally sharp.
By his own memory, he'd never met Mejiro Takamine.
Of course, if she'd changed drastically over time the way Oguri Cap had, it might've been possible to miss—
But no. The sense didn't match.
After a moment, he shook his head and answered plainly.
"I don't think so. I haven't had the honor of meeting any of the Mejiro family before."
Takamine searched his composed face, then glanced at Chiharu, who looked mildly puzzled beside him.
After a short silence, she let out a graceful smile. Her doubt softened into an elegant apology.
"Then I must have spoken out of turn. Perhaps it was only my imagination. Please don't take it to heart. I hope you two enjoy your time at Oborozuki-an."
Wuyou dipped his head again.
"Thank you."
Takamine returned to her sisters, but her gaze still followed Wuyou and Chiharu as they walked away, a faint familiarity lingering in her eyes—refusing to fully fade.
The sisters murmured a few quiet words, curious about the little interruption, but no one pressed further.
"All right. Let's register at the front desk," Takamine said, and turned to go.
The others naturally followed.
Only Mejiro Zenno—walking at the very back—couldn't help stopping for a heartbeat.
She looked back.
Wuyou was just stepping into the elevator.
As the metal doors slid shut, Zenno drew her gaze away.
Yet deep in her beautiful eyes, something seemed to settle—something unclear, and newly flavored.
…
With the pink-haired horse girl leading the way, Wuyou and Chiharu walked down the quiet corridor toward their room.
Chiharu leaned closer and whispered, "Yuu, what do you think Takamine meant by 'a distinctive atmosphere'?"
Wuyou smiled lightly, not answering directly.
"Maybe my 'trainer's presence' felt unusual to her."
He'd heard plenty about Mejiro Takamine's strict standards.
To be honest, if he followed his own plans, he really did want to add a Mejiro horse girl to his team someday.
Not because of their family name—purely because Mejiro horse girls were strong.
And any trainer with a pulse would want that.
Chiharu blinked, didn't dig deeper, and her tail swayed softly once—her attention already returning to their hot spring trip.
The pink-haired girl walked lightly ahead, guiding them through Oborozuki-an's serene hallways.
The corridor was tasteful and quiet, decorated with simple bamboo accents and softly glowing paper lamps. A faint trace of incense floated in the air.
Before long, they stopped at a sliding door painted with pine and cranes.
"This is your room. Please, go in."
The pink-haired horse girl smiled and slid the door open.
Inside was a classic Japanese tatami suite—spacious, neat, and welcoming.
Pale grass-green tatami mats covered the floor, carrying the clean scent of woven rush.
A low table and cushions sat in the center. Bedding was stacked neatly along the wall.
In the tokonoma alcove hung an ink landscape painting, paired with a simple ceramic vase below.
Most striking of all was the open engawa veranda.
The sliding doors were fully drawn back, revealing a wide, calming view.
In the distance: layered mountains and dense forest.
Below: Oborozuki-an's carefully tended Japanese garden.
Koi drifted lazily through the pond; now and then, a red leaf fell and floated on the surface.
Sunlight gilded everything in warm gold—quiet, gentle, perfect.
"The view is amazing!" Chiharu's eyes lit up. She trotted to the veranda at once, peering out with open delight.
After briefly explaining the room's facilities and the hot spring schedule, the pink-haired girl politely excused herself and left.
The moment the door slid closed—
Chiharu spun around, a mischievous grin flashing across her face.
"Finally… it's just the two of us!"
Her tail swished happily, and she suddenly lunged straight at Wuyou.
....
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