The clamor of the award ceremony still echoed in her ears, and the bubbles from the champagne had not yet fully dissipated.
Myriad Dreams was surrounded by reporters and congratulating crowds, a weary but satisfied smile gracing her face.
Just then, Silver Charm pushed through the crowd and walked straight up to her.
A strange light flickered in her silver eyes.
It was a mix of post-victory excitement, a certain triumphant cunning, and a deep, unmistakable heat hidden in the depths of her gaze.
"Myriad~"
Her voice wasn't loud, yet it pierced clearly through the surrounding noise with a hint of undeniable intent.
"I won the bet. Now, it's time for you to fulfill your promise and grant my 'little request.'"
Looking at her, Myriad Dreams felt a growing sense of foreboding, but she managed a helpless smile, turning to face her with a tone of indulgence.
"Alright, tell me, what is this reques—"
Before she could finish her sentence...
Silver Charm stood on her tiptoes, cupped Myriad's face in both hands, and under the stunned gaze of every media lens and the remaining spectators, firmly and without hesitation, kissed her on the lips!
(T/N: Yeah, she's boned when Muteki sees this.)
"Mph—!?"
Myriad Dreams' blue eyes instantly widened to their limit, her mind went completely blank.
She could clearly feel the other girl's soft, burning lips, trembling with a touch of resolve and an irresistible force.
The minty freshness of her breath mixed with the post-race sweat and the slight intoxication of champagne, creating a sensory impact that was both contradictory and intense.
Subconsciously, she tried to step back, but Silver Charm held her cheeks tightly, leaving her nowhere to escape.
Time seemed to freeze at this moment, as the surrounding gasps and the frantic clicking of shutters faded into a blurred background hum.
Meanwhile, across the ocean, inside a dormitory at the Japan Tracen Academy.
Yaeno Muteki was staring intently at the live replay of Myriad Dreams' victory on her phone, a proud smile originally on her face, sharing in the glory.
However, when the camera clearly captured Silver Charm walking toward Myriad, followed by that breathtaking scene—
Snap!
With a sharp crack, the phone screen in her hand was instantly crushed to pieces.
Her body trembled slightly, and deep within her dark purple eyes, it seemed as if dark red flames were flickering.
Yet, a strange, twisted smile appeared on her face.
The corners of her mouth curled upward, but her gaze remained bone-chillingly cold.
"Hehe... hehehe..."
A low, dangerous chuckle escaped her throat.
"Honestly... my dear little Dreams... you've only been gone for a few days..."
She spoke one word at a time, her voice so sweet it was terrifying. "And just like that... you've captured another girl's heart..."
Her gaze locked onto the frozen image of Myriad Dreams' stunned expression.
She licked her slightly dry lips, her eyes filled with possessiveness and a dark sort of anticipation.
"It seems... once you return... I'll have to... thoroughly and deeply... 'punish' you..."
Back at the track, Silver Charm finally released Myriad.
Her own cheeks were flushed crimson, her breathing ragged, and her silver eyes were misty yet shining with the triumphant glow of a victory declaration.
Looking at the still-dazed Myriad, who seemed to still feel the sensation on her lips, Silver Charm lightly touched her own mouth with a fingertip and made a shy but bold announcement:
"That... was my first kiss! Now, you've been marked by me."
Myriad Dreams' brain was still in a state of chaos.
Her face temperature skyrocketed, she opened her mouth to speak but had absolutely no idea how to respond to this sudden bombshell.
Seeing her embarrassment, Silver Charm smiled with satisfaction before finally stating her true "little request" in a tone that was both wheedling and firm:
"My request is... every year from now on, for at least a few days... you have to fly to America, okay?"
She leaned closer to Myriad's ear, lowering her voice as her warm breath brushed against Myriad's sensitive earlobe.
"Otherwise... I'll take the photo from just now, print it on posters, and cover the walls of Tracen with them."
Myriad Dreams: "!!!"
Looking at the silver-haired girl who had just fought her with everything on the track but was now showing such a devilish side, Myriad fell completely into a whirlpool of confusion.
The joy of victory hadn't faded.
The sensation on her lips lingered, a dangerous "threat" whispered in her ear, and from far away, she could almost feel the terrifying gaze of a certain someone whose jealousy had completely boiled over...
The celebratory night of her Dirt Triple Crown was destined to be spent in a complex emotional storm.
It was sweet, headache-inducing, and far from peaceful.