"Congratulations, Spe-chan."
"Congrats on the win."
After the race, everyone was invited to the student lounge to celebrate Special Week's victory. A few of them sat around the table, with a carrot hot pot bubbling away in the middle.
"Thank you, everyone! Thank you so much!"
Suddenly becoming the center of attention, Special Week gave a shy smile and spoke a little awkwardly.
"I couldn't have won without everyone's help…"
She looked at her teammates and her friends, and a warm feeling of happiness welled up inside her.
The room, which had originally felt rather quiet with only three people in it, became lively the moment Shirayuki and the others arrived.
"Shirayuki, is Chiya not coming?" Kiryuin Aoi asked softly while preparing the hot pot for everyone.
After all, they were holding the celebration at Tracen, and it was close to the dorms. He only needed to walk a few steps to get here.
"My cousin said this victory belongs to Trainer Kiryuin, so it wouldn't be proper for him to come. Oh, right. He also said that, to celebrate your first graded race victory, he wanted me to give this to you."
As she spoke, Shirayuki took a notebook out of her pocket.
"This is…?"
"It's the training experience he's been summarizing recently. My cousin said he hopes it can be of help to Trainer Kiryuin."
"I see… Thank you. I'll treasure it."
Kiryuin held the notebook carefully against her chest.
In truth, Chiya had hesitated for quite a while over what kind of gift he should prepare for Kiryuin after her victory. After thinking it over again and again, he realized that other than training, Kiryuin did not seem especially interested in anything else.
So in the end, Chiya gave her his study notes as a gift.
It might have been the worst gift Chiya had ever given someone.
But Kiryuin's reaction, at least, seemed quite positive.
"Those things Shirayuki said during the race… Did Chiya teach you that?"
"Those things?"
"You know, the part about their footing losing strength, or how there was still a chance… It felt a lot like the old Chiya."
Kiryuin Aoi's expression softened with nostalgia.
Back then, Chiya had often talked to her about things like that. Even though he was not yet a trainer at the time, he always liked to analyze races as if he knew exactly what he was doing.
Of course, the accuracy of Shirayuki's observations was far higher than Chiya's had been.
Even so, Kiryuin could still see traces of Chiya in her.
"I often watch races together with my cousin. He always explains the situation on the track to me. After listening to him for so long, I gradually learned how to tell those things too."
"I knew it."
Kiryuin Aoi opened a can of beer and took a few sips.
"Trainer Kiryuin?"
"In the past, after watching races with Chiya, we would always go to an izakaya and have a few drinks. Talking with you made me remember those days again. Let me drink just a little."
Watching Kiryuin gulp down beer like some middle-aged uncle and let out a "Puaaah," Shirayuki's eyebrow twitched a few times.
It was true that Chiya and Kiryuin used to go eat at an izakaya after watching races. The two of them would also have a few drinks together.
But Kiryuin's drinking habits had never been particularly good.
It was not that she became violent or caused trouble when drunk. Rather, whenever Kiryuin Aoi drank too much, she became extremely emotional. If she felt sad, she would cry loudly. If she felt happy, she would laugh loudly.
Her feelings became completely uncontrollable.
"Drink a little less."
"Don't worry, don't worry. I know my limits."
As she said that, she had already finished one can and knocked the empty beer can onto the table.
"Spe-chan, congratulations, Spe-chaaan—!"
"Thank you, Trainer!"
Kiryuin Aoi happily opened another can.
Happy Meek was chewing on some squid when she gently tugged at Shirayuki's clothes.
"Meek? What's wrong?"
"Looking at Trainer, she's going to drink at least ten cans today. I'll leave her to you when the time comes, Shirayuki."
"Huh? Wait, are you planning to just abandon Trainer Kiryuin?"
Happy Meek gave her a thumbs-up, then picked up another skewer of squid and started eating.
"Seiun-chan, hurry up and do something about your trainer!"
"What's there to do? Just let nature take its course."
Seiun Sky rested her cheek on one hand while holding a carrot in the other. With her eyes half-closed, she munched on it with a crisp crunch.
"Does Shirayuki want some?"
Seiun Sky held the carrot out toward her.
"I do… Wait, are you really not going to do anything about Trainer?"
Shirayuki, who had briefly been controlled by her appetite, immediately came back to her senses.
Seiun Sky licked the spot where Shirayuki had bitten the carrot, then said,
"Trainer is already an adult. She can manage herself."
"That's right! I'm already a reliable adult!"
There were already four empty beer cans lined up on the table. Kiryuin Aoi shouted loudly, her face gradually turning red.
"Trainer! Cheers! Cheers!"
El Condor Pasa egged her on from the side.
Shirayuki finally witnessed what another team's celebration party looked like.
If anything, it was even more chaotic than her own team's.
The celebration continued until midnight, and finally ended only after they ran out of ingredients.
By the time it was over, at least fifteen empty beer cans had been stacked on Kiryuin's table.
Shirayuki still remembered that Kiryuin used to collapse after seven cans.
Today, she had drunk more than twice that amount.
But even if Shirayuki told her to stop, Kiryuin would not listen.
She reeked of alcohol, lying drunkenly across the table.
"Trainer is in your hands, Shirayuki," Happy Meek said.
Why are you leaving her to me…?
Aren't you girls her assigned Uma Musume? Are you seriously not going to take care of her?
Of course, even while grumbling inwardly, Shirayuki still obediently picked Kiryuin Aoi up in her arms.
She's so light.
It was Shirayuki's first time carrying another person like this, and Kiryuin was much lighter than she had imagined.
Maybe Kiryuin had always been light.
Or maybe Shirayuki's strength had increased again.
"Ara, is Shirayuki going to take Trainer back?" Seiun Sky asked while leaning against her chair, her arms hanging limply at her sides.
"Yeah. Unless you want to do it?"
"I can barely take myself back."
Seiun Sky narrowed her eyes.
"Please take care of Trainer, Shirayuki!"
Special Week raised her hand. Her own face was also red, even though she had only been drinking soda. Her mood, however, made it look as if she had gotten drunk too.
After saying goodbye to everyone, Shirayuki carried Kiryuin Aoi out of the lounge.
Outside, the stars shone brightly overhead, and the training grounds were lit by pale white lights.
"It's so hot… Today is really so hot, Chiya…"
Kiryuin Aoi had her eyes closed, her forehead covered in sweat. She kept tugging at her collar as she mumbled incoherently.
She was completely drunk.
Even though she had no tolerance for alcohol, she still loved drinking.
What am I supposed to do with you…?
Shirayuki looked down at Kiryuin Aoi, who was curled up in her arms and pressed tightly against her chest.
She was just like a child.
Come to think of it, when they went to karaoke together, every song Kiryuin chose had been a children's song.
In that sense, she really was childlike.
After returning to the trainers' dormitory, Shirayuki placed her on the bed.
"Rest well, Trainer Kiryuin."
Just as Shirayuki was about to leave, Kiryuin suddenly called out.
"Chiya."
Shirayuki's heart skipped a beat.
She looked at Kiryuin, but Kiryuin was not looking in her direction at all.
She was simply lying on the bed, one hand resting against her forehead, calling meaninglessly toward empty air.
"Stay with me a little longer…"
"Trainer Kiryuin."
"I followed you for four years. Four years! Chiya, you idiot. You big idiot…"
As she spoke, Kiryuin suddenly burst into tears.
Perhaps she had remembered something painful.
She hugged the blanket tightly, her breathing heavy and uneven.
Shirayuki looked toward the door, then back at Kiryuin, who was now completely drunk.
After hesitating for a moment, she sat down beside Kiryuin Aoi.
This had happened before.
Whenever Kiryuin got drunk, she would keep complaining about the things that hurt her.
Listening to her repeat "big idiot" over and over, Shirayuki gently stroked her head.
Just what did you remember to make you this upset?
Shirayuki said nothing.
She simply comforted her, just as she had done in the past.
Feeling the gentle touch on her head, Kiryuin's emotions gradually settled down.
She turned over, leaned against Shirayuki, and fell into a deep sleep just like that.
Looking at Kiryuin's sleeping face, Shirayuki pulled the blanket over her.
Good night, Trainer Kiryuin.
No…
Good night, Aoi.