"Shirayuki... Shirayuki? Are you spacing out? Could it be that you're hungry?"
After being shaken several times by Special Week, Shirayuki came back to her senses.
"Spe-chan?"
"That's right, it's Spe-chan. What's wrong, Shirayuki? I called you several times, but you didn't react."
"Sorry, I... didn't sleep well yesterday."
Shirayuki rubbed her eyes. What Hayakawa Tazuna had said yesterday had struck her far too strongly, to the point that she had spent the whole night thinking.
Hayakawa Tazuna had discovered her secret and had even expressed her feelings to her. This made Shirayuki's mood rather complicated. She did not know how she should face Hayakawa Tazuna. Chiya's side was still fine. Apart from being a little passive, there had never really been much of a problem. But Shirayuki's side was troublesome.
Her current identity was an Uma Musume, and still a junior division student. Whether from the perspective of age or identity, she and Tazuna did not really match.
Especially Tazuna's line, "Even if you're the female version of Chiya, you're still Chiya." That had completely blocked Shirayuki's escape route. Hayakawa Tazuna had already recognized her identity from the level of the soul.
During the conversation, Tazuna had also asked Shirayuki about her thoughts. She wanted to know whether Shirayuki still liked girls, or whether changing bodies had made her start liking men. After Shirayuki personally said that her preferences had not changed, Hayakawa Tazuna let out a sigh of relief.
If there were no problems on that side, then things would be easy.
That was what Hayakawa Tazuna had said.
It is not easy at all!
Did that mean from now on, both she and Chiya would become Tazuna's targets?
Logically speaking, Tazuna's preferences should definitely be normal. Yet for some reason, she had no resistance toward Shirayuki's female body. Could it be that Shirayuki's attraction to Tazuna had already crossed gender?
Shirayuki held her head.
"Shirayuki? Shirayuki has turned into an idiot~ Shirayuki, don't~"
Special Week hugged her body and looked up at the white-haired girl, who kept spacing out.
"Yuki-chan is thinking about something, Spe-chan. Can you be a little quieter?"
Grass Wonder, unable to keep watching, quietly walked over, picked up Special Week, and placed her to the side.
"What's wrong, Yuki-chan? Do you need help?"
By now, Grass Wonder understood Shirayuki very well. Seeing her expression, Grass Wonder knew that Shirayuki was deeply troubled by something. As Shirayuki's friend, she naturally had to take action.
"Yuki-chan~ Yuki-chan?"
Seeing that Shirayuki did not react, Grass Wonder stretched out her arms and pulled Shirayuki into her embrace.
"Poor Yuki-chan. To think you're troubled to this extent. But it's all right. Leave it to me, Yuki-chan. I'll definitely make you happy."
"Wait a second! Why is it that when I hug Shirayuki, I'm getting in the way, but when you do it, you're making her happy?"
"Oh my, Spe-chan. You were still here?"
"I was here the whole time!"
Hearing the two of them arguing, Shirayuki's consciousness was gradually pulled back.
"Grass Wonder... I suddenly understand. It turns out Tannhauser's words were really reasonable."
"Tannhauser? Do you mean Matikane Tannhauser from the next class?"
"That's right. She said that if some things are too complicated, then don't think about them. When the cart reaches the mountain, there will be a road. When the boat reaches the bridge, it will naturally pass through."
"Waaah... Somehow, it feels like Shirayuki just said something that sounds like giving up."
Special Week looked worried.
"Although I feel the same way, as long as Yuki-chan is fine, then I'm fine too."
As she spoke, Grass Wonder stroked Shirayuki's head.
Shirayuki, having temporarily stopped thinking, left Grass Wonder's embrace.
"Spe-chan, why were you calling me earlier?"
"Calling you? Ah!"
Special Week clapped her hands.
"A graded race! My first graded race is coming soon. Shirayuki definitely has to come watch!"
The conversation finally returned to normal.
A graded race. Speaking of which, Special Week and the others' abilities were indeed enough to enter graded races. They were finally about to officially enter the most fiercely contested battlefield. The dividing line between Uma Musume would also appear there.
As Spe-chan's friend, Shirayuki naturally had to go to the venue and cheer for her.
But when it came to races, Shirayuki looked at Grass Wonder beside her. The two of them had very similar speed and distance suitability. If Spe-chan was entering the race, then Grass Wonder should also...
As if seeing through Shirayuki's thoughts, Grass Wonder gave a helpless smile.
"My foot hasn't been in good condition recently, so I'm resting. Otherwise, I was originally scheduled to run in that race too."
"Eh? Are you all right?"
"It's fine. If I rest for a few days, I'll be better. Of course, if Yuki-chan could massage it for me, I might recover even faster."
Grass Wonder touched her cheek and teased her.
"Then I'll go to your room tonight and take a look for you."
"Whoa..."
Grass Wonder's ears stood up, and her expression showed slight surprise. Very quickly, her heart began to beat hotly.
"All right. Then I'll wait for Yuki-chan."
"What!? Then my body also doesn't feel good. Shirayuki, help massage me too..."
Special Week leaned against Shirayuki's back.
"As for Spe-chan, don't trouble Yuki-chan. I'll help you. Where do you feel uncomfortable? Your stomach? Speaking of which, Spe-chan really has been eating a lot recently. Round and plump, with a nice bouncing sound when patted. Can you really still run like that?"
"I can run! Don't touch my stomach!"
The classroom was as noisy as ever.
Outside the office, Hayakawa Tazuna held today's bento. She stood at the door, gathering her emotions.
Although she had said those things last night, she actually had not sorted out her feelings yet. She had decided to firmly grasp both Shirayuki and Chiya, but she still did not know exactly how to do it.
Hayakawa Tazuna had absolutely no knowledge when it came to dating Shirayuki. Other than kissing, she did not even know how she should cherish her. After all, from beginning to end, the only person she had liked was Chiya.
Should I try to learn a little about this kind of thing...?
While thinking that, Hayakawa Tazuna pushed open the door.
"Good afternoon, Chiya."
"Tazuna... Good afternoon."
Seeing the person who entered, Fujiwara Chiya's eyes shifted in slight panic. After his identity had been exposed, he felt inexplicably guilty in front of her. He did not know what Hayakawa Tazuna would do to Shirayuki next, nor did he know what she would do to him.
But one thing was certain: the originally separate lives of the two of them would be forcibly twisted together by her.
Hayakawa Tazuna set down the bento.
"Let's eat, Chiya. I improved the recipe a little today, so the taste should be better."
"Then I'll dig in."
Looking at Hayakawa Tazuna's smiling face, Chiya silently picked up his chopsticks. Her attitude seemed no different from usual, as if what happened yesterday had never happened.
Of course, that was impossible. Chiya could only hope that she would not do anything too outrageous. He had finally managed to live this kind of normal life.
As if remembering something, Hayakawa Tazuna said,
"Chiya."
"Mm?"
"Let's go out together next time."
"A date?"
"Mm. But this time, we'll bring Shirayuki too."
Hayakawa Tazuna made up her mind.
"I want to go on a date with both of you."