Not many memories flowed through her heart.
When she came back to her senses, Representative Chiaki's face was still before her. Looking at her, Tokai Shizen just shook her head.
"You don't want to see her… That's fine too, after all, Rudolph isn't exactly a good person right now." Saying this, Representative Chiaki shifted her gaze away from Tokai Shizen's eyes: "What are you planning to make for lunch?"
Representative Chiaki's words were always very disjointed.
This made Tokai Shizen a little confused, but luckily, she didn't have to answer some of the questions.
So, she just shook her head.
"You don't know either, never mind. As long as what you make is delicious, it's fine." Saying this, Representative Chiaki stretched, then seemingly casually asked a question.
"By the way,"
Looking at Representative Chiaki, Tokai Shizen waited for the new question she was about to ask.
"You said, if, if I came as a friend in the future, would you welcome me?"
Hearing this, Tokai Shizen slightly raised her head, allowing herself to meet Representative Chiaki's gaze.
Their four blue eyes met like that.
And after a few seconds of silence, Tokai Shizen finally showed a slight smile: "I would."
Tokai Shizen's smile was faint, without much embellishment, but it made Representative Chiaki understand why Maruzensky's occasional kindness would evolve into taking her in for the long term, and also why she, despite not being very interested in her, had visited multiple times.
"…Even if I forced you twice with documents and children, you would still consider me a friend."
Saying this, Representative Chiaki slightly lowered her head, then used her other hand to cover some of her expression: "Although, there's nothing wrong with that."
After speaking, Representative Chiaki stood up and then spoke again: "Regarding the identity application, the procedures are basically complete. Next, we just wait for the process to finish, and then it will be done. If it's completed, I'll bring it to you."
"…Thank you."
"Consider it an apology for before."
After speaking, Representative Chiaki paused briefly, then spoke again: "By the way, have you considered going out to buy some clothes or something?"
Tokai Shizen shook her head.
And looking at Tokai Shizen shaking her head, Representative Chiaki just walked behind Tokai Shizen: "Then, do you want to go out and buy some clothes together? I'll pay, it's no problem."
"Sorry…"
"Ah, then never mind."
One Three: Maruzensky: I feel it's not worth it for Tokai Shizen!
Since that day she slipped away from Tokai Shizen's presence.
About a week had passed.
During this week, Representative Chiaki finally had the opportunity to visit Tokai Shizen.
After all, she still had Student Council work to deal with, so visiting Tokai Shizen had been put on hold.
Then, it wasn't until today, after she had processed most of the documents, that Representative Chiaki could once again arrive at Maruzensky's doorstep with a bag of ingredients.
As usual, she raised her hand and pressed the doorbell.
Unlike before, when she found an excuse to enter, this time Representative Chiaki stood at the door like a friend, waiting.
It wasn't long before the young mother opened the door.
Looking at the… well, the girl, who was much smaller than herself, Representative Chiaki still wanted to ask a very important question: how exactly did she put up with Rudolph Symboli?
However, given the relationship between her and Rudolph, Representative Chiaki wouldn't be so tactless as to ask that question.
So, after placing the ingredients she was holding in the kitchen, Representative Chiaki asked another question: "Tokai."
Turning her head to look at Representative Chiaki, Tokai's blue eyes were full of confusion.
"How is your health?"
This was why Representative Chiaki had come here.
Representative Chiaki knew of Tokai Shizen's frail health, so she planned to visit once every day.
Maruzensky was not in Central now, and the only person who knew Tokai Shizen's identity was herself.
And if Tokai Shizen's condition went unsupervised...
Something unexpected might happen.
So Representative Chiaki really had to come once every day to prevent Tokai Shizen from having an accident with no one to look after her.
Facing the question from Representative Chiaki, Tokai Shizen just shook her head: "I'm fine."
Looking at Tokai Shizen shaking her head, Representative Chiaki didn't intend to ask further, because Tokai Shizen had given the same answer before.
Moreover, even if she pointed out the problem directly at this time, the other party probably wouldn't listen.
Looking at Tokai Shizen who had turned around and walked into the kitchen, Representative Chiaki came to this conclusion.
But... "If the identity application comes through, Tokai, are you planning to move out?"
A question with an ulterior motive.
And Tokai Shizen, in the kitchen, answered immediately upon hearing the question: "I will move out. It's not good to always trouble Miss Maruzen, but for now..."
Representative Chiaki knew of her hesitation.
She looked up towards the stairs on the second floor.
The child.
This was the only reason Tokai Shizen needed to hesitate.
A baby not yet a year old, this was the time when a mother's dedicated care was needed, and it was her existence that made Tokai Shizen hesitate.
Thinking of this, Representative Chiaki frowned.
Because she thought of another person.
Rudolph Symboli.
Thinking of Rudolph Symboli, Representative Chiaki's mood soured.
Regardless of their relationship on the racetrack, the matter of Tokai Shizen alone was enough to change Representative Chiaki's attitude towards Rudolph Symboli.
But Tokai Shizen was still here, so Representative Chiaki didn't want to mention Rudolph's name.
Therefore, she just shifted her gaze back to the kitchen.
After Representative Chiaki's gaze returned to the kitchen, Tokai Shizen also completed the rest of her sentence: "Let's wait until Mochizuki is a little older before considering it."
"So her name is Mochizuki."
"Mm."
"That's a very nice name, but..."
Evidently, Representative Chiaki also thought of something, which was natural, as most of her peers who had a good relationship with Rudolph Symboli knew this name.
So naturally, Representative Chiaki also thought of the connection within that name.
As if noticing Representative Chiaki's subtle pause, the sound of a kitchen knife chopping vegetables in the kitchen stopped.
"No, there's no problem. It's not a big deal anyway."
Unlike Maruzensky, Representative Chiaki wouldn't dwell too much on such issues.
After all, compared to dwelling on such meaningless questions, the dinner Tokai Shizen would make was much more worth looking forward to.
After all, Tokai Shizen's cooking skills could be said to be exceptionally high.
If she were to miss dinner because she was dwelling on a scoundrel...
Representative Chiaki herself would feel rather bad.
And compared to Representative Chiaki, who could occupy Maruzensky's home and eat dinner made by Tokai Shizen...
Maruzensky, who accompanied Rudolph Symboli to watch national races, seemed much more miserable.
But her time spent with Rudolph Symboli these past few days...
As well as the time she spent with Tokai Shizen before that...
All prompted Maruzensky to ask a crucial question.
Looking at Rudolph Symboli sleeping on the other bed in the double room, although her eyes were closed, Maruzensky knew she wasn't asleep yet.
So, Maruzensky asked the question she wanted to ask on behalf of Tokai Shizen, and the one she wanted an answer to herself:
"Luna."
"Hmm?"
"Do you know an Uma Musume named Tokai Shizen?"
She asked the question directly, without much pretense.
After all, Maruzensky knew that the other party didn't have so many twists and turns in her mind, so if she really beat around the bush, the other party might not be able to understand at all.
That's why Maruzensky was so direct.
However, faced with such a direct question...
Rudolph Symboli just turned over.
Looking at Maruzensky with her crystalline purple eyes: "Tokai Shizen? Is that a member of the Tokai Family?"
"..."
Her expression changed slightly, and Maruzensky's ears drooped slightly: "Just an Uma Musume who has already died, there's nothing special to pay attention to."
Maruzensky's unusual behavior was not noticed by Rudolph Symboli.
She just nodded: "Is that so? Then so be it. There's another race tomorrow morning, get some good rest."
Saying this, Rudolph Symboli adjusted her posture slightly; she intended to go to sleep.
But Maruzensky couldn't sleep.
Because Maruzensky had initially thought that the answer to that question would at least be that she remembered the other person, but Rudolph Symboli's response was not only that she didn't remember, but she didn't even have an impression... Thinking of this, Maruzensky just turned over slightly, turning her back to Rudolph Symboli. She didn't want to see Rudolph Symboli right now.
She felt that it was not worth it for Tokai Shizen to have a child with this person who didn't even remember her name or her.