"Ko-chan, are you ready for tomorrow?" Meek-senpai asked with a soft murmur from across the room. She was lying on her bed, facing me. Her expression was as placid as ever, but her feeling, a gentle current of concern, was successfully delivered.
"I am prepared, Meek-senpai," I said with a smile, my fingers tapping away on my academy-issued laptop. "I have planned for anything I can think of. But as they say, 'never say never' in racing, so even if something happens outside of my calculations, I am ready to take it down."
"That's right… so many variables," she nodded and continued, her voice soft as ever. "That's great then… you should be fine, Ko-chan."
"Gratitude.."
"Anyway, what are you doing?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Um, the people back home said they wanted to see me, so we decided to have a video call," I said, a little embarrassed. Well, it was like when your parents called you. Not just like, the Director was my only parent. It tended to be embarrassing.
"Oooh, interesting," she said. "Don't worry, I will not speak a word. And if your secret is spilled unexpectedly, I will not tell anyone. Un! I promise!"
"Your expression looks so convincing, Senpai," I replied. Her deadpan expression gave her words a strange sense of seriousness, but since that was her default setting, I did not really know her true intentions. She just retreated into her blanket cocoon when I said that. I hoped she really would protect my secrets to her grave.
"Oh, it's connecting," I said as the call window popped up.
[Ko-…ho-…-re…-u,] the feedback from the orphanage's side was awful, the audio cutting in and out with a sharp, digital static.
"The municipal government has not extended the internet cable to our district yet? They said it would be done soon," I sighed defeatedly.
[Hello, Ko-chan—can you—me?] The Director's voice was a garbled mess.
"Oh, it's getting better," I noted as the static began to clear.
[Test, test. Ko-kun, did it pass through?]
"This voice?" A familiar male voice. I had often heard it somewhere before.
[Oh, it's stable now. Here you go, Director-san,] the man said.
"Is that Nagano-san?" I asked.
[Oh, hi, Ko-kun! How's life?... You look different! Director-san, look at her, hahaha!] His voice was a bit different through the speakers, but that carefree tone was undoubtedly his. He was a man in his twenties and the owner of the Vintage CD store down the road from the orphanage. He used to be an active JGSDF Armoured Regiment NCO but was now just a reserve personnel. Pursuing a "slow life" was his goal now, or so he said. He was also the one who had helped me with my online registration for Tracen Academy. We had always indebted to him, as our orphanage didn't really have someone who was very tech-savvy.
[Thank you for your help, Nagano-san—Oh my god, Ko-chan, you're so tanned! And your cheek fat is gone!] The Director's voice boomed as she finally arrived in front of the camera.
"Yeah, a lot, and I mean 'a lot' of things have happened," I said. "As I said to you on Umaline, I am for sure growing."
[You sure are… that's great then! Your daily 'reports' every night really put me at ease. Though I am not around, from them, I know you are fine and well. That alone is enough for me.] Her face really mellowed as she said that.
"Yes, I am fine and well. Though sometimes things get tough, even here, I am not alone," I said, glancing over at Meek-senpai's blanket cocoon.
[I'm grateful, thank goodness! I was so worried you would be all alone out there! You usually distance yourself from others since kindergarten! You never even invited another child home! Just imagining you alone in that huge place is scary, Ko-chan!]
"Yeah, yeah, don't worry. I am not that antisocial, you know?"
[Hearing that from you is not that convincing…]
That was rude, Madam Director. That was the past me. The me of right now had changed. I believed so.
"Umm, Meek-senpai, apologies, but can you say something to her?"
She suddenly emerged from her blanket, her cream-colored hair swaying as she walked steadily to my side. She sat down beside me and leaned into the screen. "Hello, Director-san. I'm Happy Meek, Ko-chan's roommate. We are getting along well, and yes, Ko-chan has some friends, so you don't need to worry," she said with her usual steady, calm tone.
[Hi, Happy Meek-chan… wait!? That Happy Meek!?]
"I mentioned it, did I not? I am her roommate," I shrugged.
[Uwah, Ko-chan… aren't you surrounded by legends?]
"Well, I am in Central Tracen. And every legend has enrolled here, so the chance to meet them is quite high," I explained.
[Yeah, you're right…]
"How are the children?" I asked, changing the subject.
[They're here! Everybody wave your hands,] she said as she turned the webcam. A sea of small, waving hands filled the screen.
[Are you eating well? It's Central Tracen, so you should be, right?]
[Is Tokyo hot? I heard the city is hotter than here!]
…
[Ko-neechan, can you even sleep without me?]
Those children were as energetic as ever. And forget about the last one..
We continued to catch up, though I could only answer their barrage of questions with a series of simple, continuous affirmations. Their bright, hopeful faces were the best motivation I could ask for.
[Alright, alright, it's getting late and Ko-chan has a big day tomorrow, so let's wrap this up soon,] the Director's voice announced from the speaker.
I then looked at the bottom right corner of the laptop. It was already 11:12 PM. Time had passed very quickly without me noticing.
[Let's go, everybody! In your positions!] the Director suddenly said with an excited tone.
And on the screen, I could see everyone was holding up a drawing. I assumed they had drawn them themselves. In each drawing, there was a consistent girl with long, chestnut-brown hair and two Uma ears protruding from the top. Was that supposed to be me?
[Great. From Itto-kun, you go first,] the Director instructed.
[Ko-chan! You have always beaten me in sports, so do not embarrass me in the Twinkle Series! Show them that the one who beats me is really the best Umamusume!] he declared as he showed his drawing of me passing the finish line first, with him trailing just behind me. He was still a tsundere, huh. You were supposed to be a year older than me, please grow up, Itto-kun.
"Who do you even think you are?" I smirked, playing along. "But yes, that sounds amusing. I will make you proud to have even lost against me."
[Ko-neechan, you always gave me your share of sweets, so I hope you can win a lot, get a lot of praise, and can eat a lot of sweets!] Chi-chan's voice was as cute as I remembered. She had drawn me getting surrounded by a mountain of sweets.
"Yes, I will, Chi-chan," I said, my voice softening. "I can even send you some if you want. But make sure you brush your teeth before you sleep, okay?"
And so, the children continued to show me their drawings and their hopes for me, one by one. Rather than feeling sleepy due to it getting late, I felt my heart grow full and heavy with their sincere wishes.
[Alright, last one, from Just-chan.]
[Ko-neechan… I'm so lonely without you.] Her voice was trembling. [I even sometimes wonder why I let you go to Tokyo. But after reading your messages and looking at you right now, I know it was the best for you to go. So please! Make up for my loneliness by letting me see you often on TV! Seeing you happily smiling in the winner's circle after the race! And seeing you at the center of the Winning Live concerts! I will not forgive you otherwise!] She held up her drawing of me in a black and gold racewear, standing in the center of a huge stage, with her own tears flowing out.
"Just-chan… Un! I will do my best so I can do as you have said," I promised, my voice thick. I could not stop my tears any longer. Just A Way, or "Just-chan," was like me, an Umamusume. She was abandoned because her parents could not really afford to raise an Umamusume. She had come to our family when she was a baby, and I had felt a closeness to her ever since. She often stuck to me and always came to me if anything happened. To say the least, we were really close.
Meek-senpai, who had been sitting silently by my side this whole time, handed me a tissue to wipe my tears. I nodded to her, showing my gratitude.
[Now now, Ko-chan, please don't cry, or I will cry too,] the Director said, though she was already sniffing as she spoke.
"Alright, I will stop," I said, wiping my eyes and forcing a smile.
[As for me, Ko-chan, I just hope you can enjoy your run. For me, it doesn't matter what the results are. As long as you love it, that is enough for me.]
"You will make me cry again," I said with a smirk, but my tears had already started to fall again.
[Ko-chaaan!] the Director finally cried too.
After a minute of a tearful timeout, we finally managed to continue, or rather, finish our talk.
[Anyway, Nagano-san, do you want to say anything to her?] the Director said.
[Well, just run, Ko-chan. Don't ever think about slowing down,] he said. It was very like him. So carefree and simple.
[Alright, I guess that is all. Do your best, Ko-chan! We will support you from here!]
[Gambare! Ko-neechan!]
[Do your best!]
[Beat them to oblivion!]
"Roger that!" I declared to the chorus of supportive voices.
[See you soon… maybe on summer vacation? Or winter vacation?]
"I will tell you when I have a concrete plan to go home. It is a bit tight for now."
[I see. Then, enjoy your running! Bye bye!]
The video call ended, the screen going black, and I could only exhale heavily. Whose idea was it to do something like that? But I was really, truly grateful to them. There was no doubt about it.
"Ko-chan, have you heard?" Meek-senpai suddenly said, her voice cutting through the silence of the room.
"Hmm?"
"We Umamusume are running while carrying hope. My trainer told me," she said.
"Hope?"
"Our family, our friends, our fans, our rivals. They all put their hope in us," she explained, her voice unusually clear and certain. "My trainer said we are propelled by our legs and our stamina, but those are not enough. Sometimes, in crucial moments, our bodies really hit their limit, but we can still run faster. It is thanks to the hope that we carry, the hope that gently pushes us from behind. We are not running alone, Ko-chan."
I see. I was not going to the summit alone. I was going together with everyone who supported me, side by side, hand in hand. We would arrive on that mountaintop together. Thinking about it like that really made things seem easier.
"Gratitude, Meek-senpai," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "May I borrow your shoulder for a while? I do not think I can hold it back any longer."
"Homesickness hits hard, huh?"
"Apologies…"
"Don't worry," she said, her smile so tender it could melt ice.
After that, I cried a bit while hugging Meek-senpai. It was so unsightly, I was not even joking. I did not even notice when I entered my dreamlands at some point. The last thing I remembered was when I woke up in the morning with Meek-senpai sleeping soundly by my side on my bed. That was very embarrassing, I hope I could rewind time.