If Fujiwara Chiya Were an Uma Musume 20
"Chiba, you're back!"
The next day, Fujiwara Chiya returned to the team, and Kitasan Black practically launched herself at him.
"Did that medicine work?"
"Yeah. Very well, actually."
"Did you sweat?"
"A lot. A lot."
"That's great!"
Kita-chan grabbed Fujiwara Chiya's hand, her eyes sparkling.
"Now we can train together again!"
"Yeah…"
Looking at Kitasan Black's pure, beaming smile, Fujiwara Chiya couldn't help reaching out to pat her head. Kids this wholesome were rare these days. At least, they were rare around him.
Speaking of sweating, Chiya couldn't help thinking back to Tazuna Hayakawa and Grass Wonder.
Aside from Shirayuki, those two might have been the most destructive forces in his life.
One could keep kissing Fujiwara Chiya for hours, leaving him lightheaded, breathless, and half-melted by the end. The other was even worse. Even after running out of stamina, she would cling to him and refuse to let go.
Fujiwara Chiya's stamina was already far beyond most of his Uma Musume, but against those two?
He had no chance.
Did that kind of thing have something like willpower or guts too?
Chiya strongly suspected Grass Wonder's guts stat had broken through the ceiling. Even when she had completely exhausted herself, she could still keep going for hours through sheer determination alone.
At that point, she was practically half-asleep and half-awake.
If not for the way the red hearts in Grass Wonder's eyes kept pulsing at terrifying speed—and the way she still maintained just enough strength—Fujiwara Chiya might have honestly worried her body had shut off and was moving purely on instinct.
Grass Wonder's body was not the absolute strongest among Uma Musume.
But her mental strength?
Without question, it had reached a terrifying level.
As expected of the opponent Shirayuki had once feared the most.
Grass Wonder's naginata was as sharp as ever.
Only now, the battlefield had moved from the racetrack to somewhere far more dangerous.
As for Tazuna Hayakawa…
Fujiwara Chiya had never once gotten the upper hand with her.
Normally, Tazuna presented herself as the perfect gentle wife type—soft-spoken, caring, graceful, and domestic. But when it came to Fujiwara Chiya, she would drop that mask entirely and reveal the wildness underneath.
Or, in Tazuna's own words, she was "returning to her true self."
There were still bite marks on Fujiwara Chiya's shoulder.
That was Tazuna's real nature.
Though, to be fair, wild or not, Tazuna in torn black stockings was dangerously attractive.
The problem was that sometimes she got too excited and lost all restraint.
For example, when Tazuna got carried away, she would climb right over Fujiwara Chiya.
Now, Chiya did like seeing Tazuna looking seductive.
But he preferred appreciating it from a proper distance—somewhere he could take in her long, beautiful legs, her alluring lingerie, and that soul-stealing expression all at once.
If she shoved herself right in his face, what was he supposed to see?!
His eyes were completely covered!
And Tazuna did not listen.
Once she entered wild mode, she did whatever she wanted.
The virtuous lady vanished.
Fujiwara Chiya ended up experiencing the same feeling as those endless kisses.
Tazuna was not particularly heavy for an Uma Musume. With Chiya's strength, lifting her was easy. But holding that kind of position for too long was still torture. Warmth pressed close, and the scent of soap filled his nose until his thoughts started turning hazy.
That mix of pain and pleasure was something Fujiwara Chiya did not want to experience a second time.
He sincerely hoped those two would show a little restraint in the future.
No matter how much stamina he had, it was useless if he kept running out of oxygen.
Anyway.
That topic had gotten a little off track.
After spending a while being healed by Kita-chan's innocent energy, Fujiwara Chiya returned to the team and began training with everyone.
During the break, Nase Fumino walked over to him.
"I thought you'd take a few more days off."
"Couldn't help it. Someone kept telling me to come back."
"Who? Don't tell me it was Kitasan."
Fujiwara Chiya nodded.
Nase Fumino's face went cold.
"When I ask you to come back, you don't. But when Kitasan asks you to come back, you do. Chiya, apparently Kitasan Black ranks much higher in your heart than I do."
"When did you ask me to come back?"
"Didn't I ask whether you could return earlier? You said you needed at least a week. And now, after only a few days, you suddenly stop pretending to be sick."
"So that was supposed to mean you wanted me back?"
"What else would it mean?"
Nase Fumino shot him an exasperated glare.
"I see. So your heart only has room for Uma Musume."
"No, no, no. That's not the issue. I was worried Kitasan Black would keep coming to my dorm every day and expose me. You know my situation. If those girls find out I'm a man, things will get complicated."
"So if they find out you're a man, it's complicated. But if I find out, it isn't?"
"It is. But I feel like you'd be on my side."
"Do you have any basis for that?"
"Nope. Just a feeling."
Nase Fumino stared at Fujiwara Chiya for a while.
Then she gave a small huff.
"Your feelings have never been accurate."
Fujiwara Chiya scratched his head.
"Either way, since you came back early, I'll let you off for now. Your debut race is coming up soon. Make sure you prepare properly. I don't need to remind you of the rest. You should know all that already."
"Yes."
"Chiba is running a debut race too?"
During the break, Kita-chan heard about Chiba's race, and her eyes instantly lit up.
"I'll cheer for you with everything I've got, Chiba!"
"Thanks, Kita-chan."
Fujiwara Chiya patted her little head.
Kita-chan let out a goofy, "Hehehe~" and happily held his hand, rubbing her head against him.
By now, Kitasan Black had completely fallen in love with being patted by Fujiwara Chiya.
That soft, warm, gentle touch was dangerously addictive. Sometimes, when she saw Chiba patting someone else, Kita-chan even felt a faint sting of jealousy. Every night, she carefully groomed her hair and tail, determined to make her head and tail even softer and fluffier.
Speaking of tails…
Kita-chan really hoped Chiba would stroke her tail too.
She wanted to experience that incredible, unbeatable feeling.
Normally, an Uma Musume's tail was one of her most sensitive spots. But Kita-chan felt that if it was Chiba, then maybe—just maybe—it would be okay.
And while Chiba stroked her tail, she could stroke Chiba's tail too.
The two of them could groom each other at the same time.
Wouldn't that be the happiest thing ever?
"Chiba, Chiba~"
Slowly, Kita-chan started making little kitten-like sounds.
Her eyes seemed to shimmer with hearts, and her grip grew stronger and stronger, as if she wanted to press Chiba's entire body against herself and merge with her.
In the end, it was Nase Fumino's voice that interrupted Kita-chan's steadily escalating clinginess.
Kita-chan snapped back to reality.
Seeing the gazes of the other Uma Musume gradually gather on her, she coughed a few times.
Then she said to Chiba—who had also been enjoying the head-patting a little too much—
"Let's go back. Break time is over."
"Ah, right… Let's go, Kitasan."
"Oh, right, Chiba…"
Kita-chan looked up at her with bright, expectant eyes.
"How does my body feel?"
"Great."
"Right?"
Kita-chan smiled.
"Looks like we're super compatible. So, if you like it… you can touch my tail too."
"Really?"
"Mm!"
Kita-chan's tail swished behind her.
"So, um…"
She blinked, her face full of anticipation.
"Can I stroke your big fluffy tail too?"