"Chiya, the race is coming up soon, right? The Director and I will be heading to Osaka tomorrow too."
Early that morning, Fujiwara Chiya received a call from Hayakawa Tazuna. Apparently, she and Akikawa Yayoi were coming over as well.
Osaka and Tokyo were far apart, yet not that far apart. Roughly five hundred kilometres. By Shinkansen, it took close to two and a half hours. Compared to going all the way to Europe, it was practically next door.
Since the chance had come up, Hayakawa Tazuna decided to come watch the race.
"Oh, right, Chiya. How are things over there? Nothing unusual has happened, has it?"
"Nope. I'm doing fine here."
"And Shirayuki?"
"...Yeah."
On the other end of the call, Hayakawa Tazuna let out a relieved breath.
"That's good. I'll head over tomorrow morning, then."
After that, the two hung up. Fujiwara Chiya immediately called Gold Ship over and warned her, "When the Director and the others arrive, you absolutely cannot go around blabbing about me and Shirayuki. If I find out you said anything, I'll drag you down with me even if I die."
"Trainer, are you asking me to commit a lovers' suicide with you?"
"Please call it mutual assured destruction."
"Then forget it. That's not romantic at all."
"Just remember. Don't say anything weird."
"When has the great Gold Ship ever said anything weird? Every word I speak is universal truth, the origin of all things in creation…"
"Yeah, yeah, enough."
Fujiwara Chiya rummaged through his pocket and gave Gold Ship a little spending money.
"When the time comes, go play at a nearby arcade. Come back later."
"OK! I'll empty every claw machine in the arcade and make the owner beg me through tears to stop playing!"
After sending Gold Ship off, Fujiwara Chiya called Rice Shower over next.
"How have you been feeling lately? Your body's okay, right? Don't push too hard with training for now. Focus on getting yourself in good condition."
Rice Shower stared blankly at Fujiwara Chiya, her gaze strangely complicated.
"What's wrong?"
"No… it's nothing, Onii-sama."
Rice Shower shook her head.
"Rice is in great condition. Onii-sama doesn't need to worry."
"Really? If anything feels off, tell me right away, okay?"
Noticing that Rice Shower's expression seemed a little strange, Fujiwara Chiya gently patted her head.
"And if something's bothering you, you can tell me. Maybe I can help."
"Onii-sama…"
Looking at the man's gentle face, Rice Shower opened her mouth.
In the end, she shook her head.
"No. Rice is fine. Rice is going to train now."
With that, she ran out on tiny, quick steps.
The door closed behind her. Rice Shower leaned back against the wall and pressed a hand to her chest.
My beloved Onii-sama.
How could someone be this kind?
No matter how much she liked him, it would never be too much.
Rice Shower did have something on her mind.
But this was the one thing she could never tell him.
Because the person who had given Rice Shower this worry was none other than her Onii-sama.
Fujiwara Shirayuki.
That night had made Rice Shower certain.
The greatest obstacle standing in her way was not Hayakawa Tazuna. It was not Mejiro Dober. It was not any other uma musume.
The one standing in her way, the one stealing away the meaning of her existence, was Onii-sama himself!
That unbearably despairing dream may have been a warning.
Someday, Onii-sama would be completely charmed by himself. When that time came, he would become a perfect little world all on his own, shutting everyone else out.
Rice Shower would never allow that to happen.
In appearance, she could not beat Shirayuki.
In personality, she could not beat Shirayuki.
In housework, she could not beat Shirayuki either.
But even while being crushed by Shirayuki from every possible angle, there was still one thing.
One thing Rice Shower felt she might be able to win at.
Her strength as an uma musume.
Fujiwara Chiya had poured his heart into her. He had raised her like his own little sister, cared for her with everything he had, and watched over her with endless patience. It was precisely because of that meticulous, overwhelming kindness that Rice Shower had gone from an unknown uma musume into a powerful runner capable of winning on the GⅠ stage.
In terms of strength, Rice Shower believed she could challenge Shirayuki.
But it was still not enough.
Shirayuki was simply too incredible.
With Rice Shower's current strength, she still could not defeat her. She needed special training. Brutal special training. Training so intense that Onii-sama could not be allowed to discover it.
Since Shirayuki overwhelmed her in every direction, Rice Shower would strike at the most fundamental, most important level.
She would defeat her there, completely.
She would create value that belonged only to herself as an uma musume.
She would become someone irreplaceable at Fujiwara Chiya's side.
Someone even Shirayuki could not replace.
Stronger.
Rice Shower had to get stronger now.
Strong enough to defeat Shirayuki.
Strong enough to tear open the closed world between her two Onii-samas and carve out a place for herself inside it.
"Sorry, Onii-sama… Rice loves Onii-sama. That's why… Rice has to defeat Onii-sama!"
A blazing fire burst to life in her clear purple eyes.
Rice Shower clenched her fists.
She would become the villain for once.
In a world where everyone supported the Empress, she would become the assassin who struck her down.
Rice Shower ran outside and spent all her pocket money on over a dozen pairs of shoes.
Onii-sama had once praised her.
He said that as an uma musume, she possessed an ability others did not.
Her spirit that refused to lose.
And her courage to keep charging forward, no matter what.
"For an uma musume, the most important thing is the heart that wants to race against others, Rice."
Onii-sama's words echoed in her ears.
Rice Shower took a deep breath.
From here on, she would begin the cruellest training imaginable.
Training no ordinary person could endure.
...
"Rice, where are you?"
That night, Fujiwara Chiya realised Rice Shower had not returned and called her.
"Onii-sama, Rice is outside."
"It's already night."
"Mm. Rice knows. Rice won't be coming back for the next few days."
"What!? Then where are you sleeping?"
"Rice brought a tent. Rice is going to camp on a nearby mountaintop."
"Camping? If you want to camp, I'll go with you. It's too dangerous for you to be alone."
"Onii-sama… Urara is coming here to watch Rice's race too. She'll arrive tomorrow, so please don't worry."
"What are you two little ones supposed to do together? You still need an adult with you. Where are you? I'll head over right now."
"Onii-sama! You really don't have to. Rice is fine."
"Why did you suddenly want to go camping?"
"...Rice, Rice just…"
Fujiwara Chiya sighed.
"Fine. I get it. Remember, you absolutely cannot run around randomly. Call me first thing tomorrow morning, okay?"
"Yes, Onii-sama."
"Good night, Rice. Remember to sleep early."
"Mm. Good night to you too, Onii-sama."
Beside the campfire, Rice Shower ended the call.
She stared at the call history with Fujiwara Chiya, then hugged her phone tightly to her chest.
Her Onii-sama had been worrying about her right until the very end.
Rice Shower slipped the phone into her little bag and slapped her cheeks lightly.
She placed the finished bento box aside, then changed into a new pair of shoes.
On an abandoned track, Rice Shower bent low.
Then she kicked off with all her strength.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Her crisp footsteps echoed through the night.