So, what was Platinum up to now?
She'd slipped away quietly, with two little tails trailing behind her.
Platinum fell silent for a moment, then quickened her pace.
The two behind her also sped up.
Platinum slowed down; the two behind her slowed down as well.
"Just how long are you two planning to follow me?" Helpless, Platinum could only turn around and face the pair who'd been shadowing her.
Leap of Faith, with her sleek black hair and tall, slender frame, stood obediently behind her.
And behind Leap of Faith, Fuji Kyoji, with her light chestnut hair, followed at a leisurely pace, arms crossed behind her head.
"Who's following you?" Fuji Kyoji scoffed, "I'm just following Faith here."
"The President's request isn't finished yet," Leap of Faith said, her eyes curving into smiling crescents. "The President's words were for the two of us to '[keep an eye on you]' today."
She emphasized those last four words.
Platinum clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction. She had been thinking she could properly go back to her dorm for a nap, switching straight to American hours. But by the looks of it, if she headed for the dorms, Leap of Faith would probably follow her right to her door.
Judging by Leap of Faith's behavior today... Platinum really didn't dare let her know her dorm room number.
She was afraid that every morning, the person knocking on her door would change from just Tokai Teio to Tokai Teio and Leap of Faith.
One person showing up daily was spooky enough; adding a few more would turn it into a full-on haunting.
If she just ran off and left the two behind, well, they definitely couldn't outrun her... but that would also be pretty rude.
She'd just apologized. Even if they weren't going to become friends, at the very least, if there was no conflict, she shouldn't go making them dislike her more.
After a moment's thought, Platinum stopped walking.
Just as Leap of Faith thought Platinum's honeyed, sharp little mouth was about to start firing off again, she saw her sigh and say, "Then what are you following behind me for?"
"I don't know the first thing about this festival, how should I know what's worth seeing?"
Leap of Faith, stunned, rubbed the ears on top of her head.
"What did you just say?"
"Wasn't that what you meant?" Platinum asked helplessly, holding out her hands. "To check out the festival together?"
Just walking around the festival together... that probably didn't count as getting closer, right?
The main goal was still to keep Leap of Faith from finding out her dorm room.
Leap of Faith clutched her chest and crouched down.
"My... my life is now complete..."
"Oh, cut it out..." Fuji Kyoji grabbed hold of Leap of Faith, feeling like today had been more exhausting than running a full day of races.
First, Leap of Faith had started acting like her intelligence had regressed the moment she saw Platinum in that butler outfit, turning Fuji Kyoji into a veritable babysitter.
Then, ever since Platinum's little stunt this morning, everyone who saw her called her Taiki Shuttle. Did she really look that much like her?
Okay, maybe she did, a bit.
...How did everything seem to connect back to Platinum?
Add in the debut race she'd lost because Platinum was competing... it was like Platinum had her totally jinxed.
"Yakisoba pan! Yakisoba pan! Anyone want some yakisoba pan?"
"Are you alright? I saw this girl suddenly crouch down by the roadside..."
Seeing Leap of Faith crouched by the path, a kind-hearted Uma Musume who was selling goods nearby came over.
"Would you ladies like to buy some yakisoba pan?"
"Eh?... Isn't that... Platinum, and Taiki Shuttle. Hello."
"What are you all..." Platinum hadn't expected to run into these two here. Then again, thinking about it, it wasn't strange at all.
Gold Ship and Mejiro McQueen were standing by the roadside, wearing happi coats and headbands, selling yakisoba pan.
Gold Ship, a head taller than Mejiro McQueen, held a wooden tray piled high with the bread rolls. Mejiro McQueen held a uchiwa fan, looking like she'd been calling out to customers.
"Yakisoba pan, anyone want yakisoba pan?" Gold Ship repeated incessantly.
"Is she okay? Does she need to go to the infirmary to rest?" Mejiro McQueen discreetly elbowed Gold Ship in the ribs and concernedly patted Leap of Faith's back.
"Senior McQueen, hello, but I'm Fuji Kyoji."
Even with a face as thick as Leap of Faith's, facing such genuine concern from Mejiro McQueen was a bit hard to take. As they say, sincerity is the ultimate weapon. Leap of Faith coughed twice and stood back up.
"It's fine, I just had a bit of low blood sugar. I'm feeling much better now."
"Are you really sure? If it's low blood sugar, I have some candy here. Please take it if you need it."
"Well... haha..." Leap of Faith found herself utterly defeated by Mejiro McQueen's sincere and pure gaze.
"Hey, Taiki Shuttle, want some yakisoba pan?" Gold Ship, still rubbing her sore ribs, turned to ask Fuji Kyoji.
"Now that you mention it, we were in the cafe for so long and only had coffee. I am a bit hungry. I'll take one, please." Taking the yakisoba pan Gold Ship handed over, Fuji Kyoji gritted her teeth and added, "But I'm Fuji Kyoji."
Just then, Fuji Kyoji felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see a girl with emerald green pupils and a ponytail running past her. A green star-shaped hair accessory hung by the girl's right ear.
It was Taiki Shuttle herself.
Taiki Shuttle seemed to be in a hurry, sweat streaming down her cheeks as she darted through the crowd on the path.
But she still managed to tap Fuji Kyoji's shoulder and give her a wink.
"Yoho~ Taiki Shuttle!"
Watching the retreating figure of Taiki Shuttle, Fuji Kyoji touched her own shoulder, then pinched her own cheek. She looked down at the yakisoba pan in her hand, made eye contact with Gold Ship, and for a moment, neither had anything to say.
While the others chatted amiably, Platinum narrowed her eyes, looking toward the roadside.
A tent, the kind a fortune teller might use, was shrouded by a deep purple cloth covered in printed, glittering stars. Only a single gap faced the road, serving as an entrance.
At the very top of the tent hung a large wooden sign that read:
[Matikanefukukitaru's Absolutely (Probably) Accurate Fortunes]
Speaking of Matikanefukukitaru... she was famous in her own way.
Not that Matikanefukukitaru wasn't famous. In terms of race record, she was quite renowned. Despite supposedly being poor at long-distance courses, she defeated Silence Suzuka in a prep race, and then fought hard against Mejiro Bright in the Kikuka Sho, seizing the crown.
You could call her another legend.
Here at Tracen Academy, if you yelled 'Who's won a G1?', a whole bunch of Uma Musume would stand up... Platinum muttered to herself.
The real reason Platinum felt a bit ambivalent... was because of this fortune-telling tent.
As for Matikanefukukitaru's fortunes... if you asked whether they were accurate or not... well, they were actually pretty spot on.
It's just that they almost never predicted anything good.
So Platinum just glanced at the entrance a few times, with no intention of going in.
And right at that moment, a hand reached out from the gap in the tent curtains.
--+--
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.