"Hmmmm—President! You all went and had fun together in secret without me!"
Tokai Teio pouted, her lips jutting out in a sulk.
"Doesn't Spica have its own event today?"
"Well, yes... but Platinum is here too, isn't she? If I'd known earlier, I would've come over here much sooner!" She stamped her foot in frustration. The butler café was practically a signature event held every year, reliably featuring Symboli Rudolf and other student council members.
But if she'd only known Platinum would be here too...
Hearing Tokai Teio's honey-sweet voice, Platinum, slumped over a table, rolled her eyes.
The busy rush had finally passed. Even an Uma Musume couldn't keep up with such high-intensity work forever. T.M. Opera O was still rotating her shoulders, full of energy, but Platinum was genuinely reaching her limit.
"Hahaha! Platinum, it seems you still have a long way to go!" Standing beside Platinum, T.M. Opera O laughed heartily.
"If you hadn't insisted on that pas de deux, I might have lasted a bit longer myself."
"Stamina is something every Uma Musume must train," T.M. Opera O winked at Platinum. "And not just for the racetrack. Off the track, there's still plenty for an Uma Musume to pay attention to."
Ignoring her, Platinum, her head still resting on the table, turned to look at Tokai Teio and pointed at the butler uniform laid out on the table.
"Tokai Teio, if you want to join in, you can wear that outfit—if you don't mind, that is. I just wore it myself not long ago."
In the first stage of Soul Dissolution Syndrome, it's not contagious as long as you take the suppressant medication.
The whole commotion back at the Hanshin Racecourse happened because Platinum wasn't sure how quickly the suppressant she'd just taken would kick in. By now, it should be perfectly fine.
This was knowledge paid for with countless lives in the world of her previous life.
"Anyway, I don't have the stamina to keep going this afternoon."
This outfit should fit Tokai Teio just fine—as mentioned before, Platinum looked quite a bit younger now. Just going by appearance, she seemed like a teenage girl of about fourteen or fifteen, and naturally, she'd gotten quite a bit shorter too.
After this 'shrinkage,' Platinum was about the same height as Tokai Teio, so the clothes should fit.
It's just that Platinum had been bustling about in this outfit all morning, and since it was quite form-fitting, she'd worked up quite a sweat.
Though it had been ironed again just moments ago, sweat stains aren't really clean without a proper wash.
"Hmph, honestly... You, Platinum, you're calling me by my full name again," Tokai Teio puffed out her cheeks. "Haven't I told you before? Just call me 'Teio'!"
"Or, if you'd prefer... you could even call me 'big sister,' you know?"
Platinum's face twitched several times. The affectionate gaze Tokai Teio was directing her way felt somewhat... unnerving.
Back when Tokai Teio first asked Platinum to use a nickname for her, Platinum had refused.
But now that Tokai Teio wanted Platinum to call her 'big sister,' Platinum suddenly found herself willing to use the nickname after all.
"...Teio. That's fine, right?" Platinum reluctantly uttered the name.
She harbored a strange stubbornness inside. She not only disliked using nicknames for others but also disliked others using nicknames for her.
The idea of exchanging cutesy pet names with these young girls just made Platinum feel uncomfortable.
Fortunately, these girls hadn't yet brainstormed a nickname for her. Maybe her original name was simple enough?
"Ahem, that'll do." Though she hadn't managed to get Platinum to call her 'big sister,' successfully getting her to use 'Teio' was significant progress nonetheless.
Someday, she'd make Platinum call her 'big sister' willingly and sincerely.
"And you're not allowed to switch back, okay?"
As she spoke, Tokai Teio's eyes drifted back to the butler uniform, neatly folded on the table.
That was... the one Platinum wore this morning...
Nearby, Leap of Faith was on the verge of tears. She had originally planned to secretly buy that outfit and take it back to her dorm room as a keepsake, but now Platinum had already designated it for another use.
"Just looking at your expression, I know exactly what you're thinking," Fuji Kyoji folded her arms, a look of disgust on her face. "I don't even want to admit I know you."
Leap of Faith subconsciously wiped the corner of her mouth. "W-what? No, I wasn't..."
"Then why are you wiping your mouth?"
"Ah, Taiki Shuttle, you're here too," Tokai Teio greeted Fuji Kyoji.
"I'm Fuji Kyoji. Seriously, why is everyone who sees me today calling me Taiki Shuttle? I just changed my hairstyle!"
"So, are you willing?" Platinum picked up the butler uniform. "I don't think the shop has any other spare clothes."
"Or if you're bothered by it, I can take it back, wash it, and see if I can get it dried. You'd just have to wait a while, that's all."
Wearing Platinum's clothes... Tokai Teio didn't really mind. They'd all trained together before; there had been times they'd mixed up their training gear. Tokai Teio had never been bothered by others' clothes—she wasn't a clean freak or anything.
It's just... this practice of handing down clothes from one kid in the family to another, usually it's the older kid's clothes going to the younger one, right?
Not only had she failed to become Platinum's 'big sister,' but had she somehow ended up becoming the younger sister instead?
The thought gave Tokai Teio a slightly complicated feeling.
"Teio?" Seeing Tokai Teio unresponsive, Platinum assumed she was mentally wrestling with the idea of wearing unwashed clothes and called her name softly.
"Oh, it's nothing. I don't mind," Tokai Teio snapped out of it and replied.
"Washing it now would probably take too long, right? Then let's do it like this."
Taking the butler uniform from Platinum's hands, Tokai Teio knew it was probably just from the recent ironing, but she couldn't help feeling the fabric was warm, as if gently warmed by the sun.
"Alright then, I'm off to change!"
Clutching the clothes, Tokai Teio ducked into the changing room.
As she changed, Tokai Teio was obviously happy about getting to spend the afternoon with the President—that was the real reason she'd rushed over to the butler café, after all.
But feeling the touch of the fabric against her skin, she couldn't help thinking: Platinum wore this all morning.
All morning long, Platinum had been moving around the café in this snug outfit. The crowd was so dense; it must have been really hot.
Platinum would wipe the sweat from her brow, but still, beads of sweat would roll down her face onto the collar... By the time the customers left, the white shirt inside was probably soaked through...
Tokai Teio shook her head vigorously.
What are you thinking? It's just wearing someone else's clothes. It's not a big deal, right? It's not like you're disgusted by it, are you?
Pushing down the thoughts in her heart, Tokai Teio changed into the clothes in a flash and burst out of the changing room door.
"Ta-dah! How does Lady Teio look in a butler uniform?"
After waiting a moment, Tokai Teio didn't hear Platinum's voice, only T.M. Opera O's applause and words of admiration.
"...Huh? Platinum and the others? Where did they go?"
T.M. Opera O shrugged. "She slipped away right after handing you the clothes."
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.