Garden Gale pretended to be calm as she returned to the lounge.
She locked the door from the inside.
"Haa…"
She let out a long breath.
Oh my god—these reporters are way too dedicated! Even after she'd left the track, they were still tailing her, desperate for an interview, and the staff kept getting dragged into it. What a total headache. Thank goodness she'd made it back to the lounge.
She didn't have much time.
That much she knew by instinct.
She'd escaped the race—now it was time to escape the Winner's Live.
As the noise outside gradually died down, Garden Gale swept her eyes over the room—and, regrettably, there was no side door. No movie-style ventilation ducts either. All there was is a dull makeup mirror and a sofa. Not even a window…
Stuffy much? What kind of design is this? And any minute now, the staff might bring the dress in! Then she'd be stuck in front of that mirror doing makeup for the stage!
She bared her teeth.
Which meant the only way out was the main door.
…Once she accepted that, Garden Gale sat and waited a little longer, anxiously tapping the sofa and bouncing her leg. It wasn't that she had bad habits—she was just so nervous she couldn't stand it, and she needed some small motion to bleed off the tension.
There shouldn't be anyone outside now.
This was the best chance to run.
Thinking that, she stood.
Same old routine: she went to the door, slowly pressed down the handle, and peeked out—
No one.
Still no one!
No more hesitation.
She slipped out, ready to begin her escape plan! Just as she started feeling smug, she hadn't even taken two steps before she ran straight into Admire Vega—those pinkish eyes shimmering with something unreadable. And in her arms was a dress, like she was heading back to her own room to change for the Winner's Live.
She saw Garden Gale and blinked.
Damn it. Is there a trap ahead?
That was Garden Gale's first thought. Right after that, she started panicking about how to get rid of Admire Vega without her noticing anything off…
Why was it that every time she opened the door there was nobody, but two steps later she always ran into someone?! Don't do this to me!
Her gaze flicked to the dress in Admire Vega's hands, and she could only think: making someone wear that and perform on the Winner's Live was basically murder.
The urgency spiked.
They're changing already? This fast? No, no—she had to run.
…But Admire Vega didn't speak.
Which meant the socially terrified Garden Gale was even less likely to start talking first.
So she kept walking, eyes fixed straight ahead, like she was staring at something in the distance—anything—continuing her escape.
All the way until they'd passed each other and opened up distance…
Not a single word exchanged.
The tension and pressure in Garden Gale's chest gradually turned into joy. Right—how could they possibly know what she was about to do? It was just a brush past. They'd never guess.
Same as last time with Narita Top Road.
No problem! Looks like I really can just run!
And with that, she sped up—while Admire Vega could only watch her back, thoughtful.
...
Almost there…
Almoooost.
Garden Gale could already see the light outside.
No matter what, she'd escaped in the end! She was getting out! Victory was right ahead—hold on!
However, every time you think nothing can go wrong, something goes wrong. It's a law.
Garden Gale didn't even notice when Curren Chan popped up out of nowhere—yes, her roommate, Curren Chan!
She stepped right into Garden Gale's path and blocked the way!
And from deeper inside the building came fragments of sound—panic, like something unexpected had happened, and loud shouting.
"Go check over there!"
The voice was clear enough to reach Garden Gale's ears.
…Don't tell me they found out I'm running?
Then I have to run even harder! Time just got shorter—more urgent! But Curren Chan was blocking the only way forward now!
She pressed her lips together, ready to deliver the speech she'd prepared… and explain everything that had happened lately.
She'd wanted the two of them to make up again, so she'd brought an omamori to apologize.
"Garden-san—can I have a moment of your time?"
Curren Chan asked it, and without waiting for an answer, kept going anyway.
"I don't know how things between us became like this… but our relationship can be mended. Curren believes it. The reason I'm close to Admire Vega—is because of what she's been through…"
And on and on she went.
Chattering, chattering.
In another setting—by the lake at Tracen Academy, beneath drooping willow branches...
It would've been the perfect place to unpick their knot… or anywhere else, really. Anywhere but right now, and Garden Gale would've been happy to mend the broken mirror with Curren Chan. After all, Curren Chan had bowed her head and come to apologize.
But right now was the one time she couldn't!
She had to get out, fast!
"And there's one more thing. I sincerely apologize—for last time, yes, for filming you," Curren Chan said, sounding more and more anxious. "I admit I had selfish reasons."
"But I really wasn't planning to send your training footage to anyone else. I just thought… I thought…"
Her voice dropped.
Her head lowered.
"I just wanted to use your traffic to get more fans… I'm sorry."
Curren Chan admitted she was vile.
For her own selfish desire, she'd blown their relationship apart. She'd been living in doubt and pain ever since, and she'd decided that after this race—win or lose—she would come and mend things, not as some spur-of-the-moment decision after a victory. She'd even brought an omamori.
"It's okay."
Garden Gale forced out a smile.
The voices behind them were getting clearer—like the Emperor had noticed Garden Gale was gone and instantly realized she was trying to escape again. In the next instant, she'd mobilized the staff into a carpet search, determined to drag Garden Gale back to the Winner's Live.
And under that pressure, she still had to listen to Curren Chan's rambling.
There wasn't time!
So Garden Gale snatched the omamori quickly, her mouth moving like it didn't belong to her, machine-gunning the words out: "It's not a big deal! It's fine! But I have something I need to do, so I've got to go!"
Then she slipped past Curren Chan.
And realizing how cold she sounded, she added as she walked, "I really do forgive you! But I'm in a hurry right now. We'll talk later, okay? Later—tonight. You come back to the dorm, and we'll clear the air. We'll talk it through."
Even a mute learns to speak under pressure.
Curren Chan nodded lightly.
Lips pressed together, she watched Garden Gale's back as she left. After hesitating, she still called out, "Garden Gale!"
Garden Gale could only stop and force a smile that looked more like crying.
So can you just let me go?!
Stop tugging me around, aaah—she was about to lose her mind!
Footsteps—and voices—were getting closer. The Emperor was about to reach this hallway!
"So you really forgive me?" Curren Chan asked softly.
She'd organized a whole pile of words and sincere apologies, but Garden Gale—like she had some urgent matter—had cut it all off and tried to leave, saying they'd talk back at the dorm tonight…
It made Curren Chan feel unreal, like she'd dreamed it.
"I said I do."
Garden Gale let out a long breath, shifted into a sprinter's stance, and spoke at the same time. "I really forgive you! See you tonight!"
The next instant she didn't give anyone a chance to speak again!
A perfect start—she exploded out in a blink, her figure fast as lightning! Curren Chan watched her back until it vanished from sight.
When Curren Chan turned, thinking, We'll talk tonight, then, she saw Symboli Rudolf at the end of the corridor—face dark as thunder. Symboli Rudolf spotted her and asked, blunt as a blade:
"Have you seen your roommate—Garden Gale?"
"..."
"Eh?"
Curren Chan tilted her head.
---
T/N: influencers smh... anyway changing how Curren addresses Admire Vega, it wont be the senpai thing anymore i think i got the honorific messed up, so ill just do no honorific to show closeness, i'd do onee-chan but i don't remember whos older