If the point of riling Gotham Song up was to force her into making a choice here and now—
Then Song had to admit, Old Monster #3 seemed to understand exactly how to play her psychology.
It felt like she'd been completely read, through and through—as if she were back at the Arc, feeling herself dissected again.
And since she'd already been read like an open book, Brave had no doubt foreseen what would happen once she said those words—
That a Song who hadn't even been thinking about the matter would, under these circumstances, make the most direct decision possible.
So when training ended that day—when even Satono Diamond had been sent off by Mejiro Ramonu—
Ramonu-nee, you're my hero!
The would-be surprise guest had been turned away, and the one who hadn't even expected to be involved—Vernal Equinox—found herself invited into the center of things by Song herself.
And when Ramonu grasped the gist of it, she promptly gave Equinox her own room in the manor.
…Song got the impression her sister really liked little Equinox.
Maybe it was that clumsy, slow, completely harmless air—yet still so endearing—that won her over.
It wasn't until much later, after dinner, that Song found herself sitting on the lawn in her courtyard, arms wrapped around her knees, gazing up at the sky.
What did she look like at that moment?
Probably… very small.
She'd spent a long time getting used to this low, low vantage point in her daily life. In the very beginning, her "altitude" hadn't been anywhere near this miniature.
But once she'd adjusted, she'd found it unexpectedly nice. The most obvious change was that everyone, without thinking, treated her as someone to be looked after.
For an adult's self-respect, that might sound like a problem. But when the people around you understood boundaries, it was different.
Song enjoyed her current life—this warmth, where everyone was gently by her side.
And having lived it herself, she understood better than most how deeply someone could grow dependent on such kindness.
Even she—starting out with a fully grown, healthy adult's mind—had once been intoxicated by it.
Equinox had heard no one say, "I don't expect you to amount to much." And she wouldn't sink into a pit of self-doubt over others' opinions the way Song could have.
So how to describe Song's feelings toward Equinox?
Whether you called it "feelings" or "thoughts," more than anything, Equinox reminded her of possibilities she'd once had herself—and, besides that… the kid was just really, really likable.
The moment she met those dull, clumsy eyes shining with hope, Song knew: they might well walk this path together to the end. She couldn't refuse her.
…So how to open the subject?
She snuck a glance at Equinox, who had somehow slipped in beside her without a sound, stretching her arm high toward the sky as if to touch the stars.
The girl always arrived quietly, suddenly, with that earnest little face that made you want to pinch her cheeks.
Pick her up, give her face a squeeze, a gentle tug—until you met those indulgent, faintly puzzled eyes that made you both want to keep going and feel guilty about it.
Equinox never understood why you wanted to pinch her—but if you were enjoying it, she'd let you.
That was just the kind of kid she was.
She's really… good.
If it was Equinox, she wouldn't refuse anything she asked. So what was she hesitating for?
In front of this little one, there was no need to tread so carefully.
Just gather her courage and say—
"This afternoon, I realized something. Our relationship… isn't just a simple senior–junior thing anymore, is it?"
Honestly, it was her first time saying something like that to anyone. Now she finally understood why rookie trainers passed around certain sayings—
Like:
"Asking a horse girl to become your assigned runner might be even more nerve-wracking than confessing to your first crush."
It was true.
Song could say with certainty now—it was true.
Because she really was asking a horse girl to be her assigned runner.
"So… what are we, Song-oneechan?"
Equinox, completely unaware of what was coming next, asked in that soft, sticky voice of hers.
Her voice didn't match her appearance at all. Though she hadn't taken the full step toward maturation like Kitasan Black, she was already taller than Song.
The two of them sitting side-by-side were the dividing line between "girl" and "young woman"—and Equinox had crossed into the latter.
She was the younger one, the "little sister" type—but she didn't even realize how much power that sticky voice combined with her growing frame could have.
She hadn't come here for any calculated reason—just because, after her first dinner at Mejiro Manor, she'd seen Song's message.
(Thanks to a kind older girl with pale blue hair reminding her to check her inbox.)
So… what exactly were Song and Equinox?
"Our relationship… we've never really defined it before. But actually, we're already—"
"The kind of relationship a trainer has with her assigned horse girl, right?"
Even as she spoke, Song's tone grew firmer. When Brave had challenged her that afternoon, there'd been no room left to back out.
If she couldn't avoid it, she could only—
Her hand, hidden on her far side, clenched into a fist against the soft grass, drawing up a little extra courage.
But it was just extra. She'd already decided.
When it came time to speak, she found that beneath the incredible tension, there was something stronger—conviction.
If she didn't have the courage to say it now, how could she call herself a legendary horse girl?
Ridiculous. And yet—was she actually proud of herself for that realization?
"So Equinox—will you be the assigned horse girl of my training career? Not my racing career—my training career."
Of course, refusal would be natural here. She'd give her time, tell her to think about it, talk to her family—
"I will! Equinox wants to be Song-oneechan's assigned horse girl…"
"No—Equinox wants to be the assigned. Trainer Song's assigned. First and only, for life!"
Equinox stood up, leaning forward over Song, cutting her off mid-thought.
…Wait, what?
Song had no idea how to respond.
That afternoon, she'd even snuck back to her dorm to read a respected trainer's advice on "confessing" to an assigned runner.
Rule one: Don't rush their answer. Give them time. This is a two-way choice. Only if they agree will you walk together forever.
Sure, it sounded more like advice for soulmates than for a trainer and her charge—but she'd kept it in mind.
Which was why she'd planned to suggest she sleep on it, talk to her family…
But no one had told her what to do if the horse girl grabbed her hands and said yes immediately—eyes shining like never before, even under the moonlight.
Trainer, this might be my only chance. I want to be your assigned runner!
Well… it was good news, right? Even if the way it happened was flipped on its head.
"Are you sure you don't want to think it over, Equinox? Talk to your family? This decides your whole career."
I'm not even licensed yet, you know.
But Equinox just tilted her head.
"My family? Oh, my sister and my parents already know. They even said they'd like you to visit our house if there's a chance."
"They think it's fine—well, only you could be my trainer. My most important person for life."
…Why did that sound exactly like a "meet-the-parents" setup?
"Anyway, my parents are fine with it, and my sister's basically a fan now."
Kitasan Black, you damn shameless flirt…!
"Or… do you think I can't be your assigned runner, Trainer? But you said before—"
"I—I didn't say that! I mean—I didn't say that—ugh, never mind! I never said you couldn't!"
Song felt awful. Equinox looked so pitiful, and it was her fault.
That guilt wouldn't go away.
So she just pulled Equinox into her arms, pressing their foreheads together.
"Fine. I'll take that as a yes. But officially, it waits until I'm licensed—and after I visit your home."
It's just a trainer's house visit. Definitely not… meeting the family. Right?
"Okay! Equinox remembers. Then, Trainer-oneechan…"
"My remaining life—I'm giving it all to you. Please take it."
"…I know. I'll treasure it."
Song took a deep breath—and then acted on a sudden impulse.
She grabbed Equinox's cheeks and squished them.
"And Equinox—don't go saying things like that in front of other people! We're trainer and assigned, that's all!"
"Eh? What's wrong with it?"
What's wrong with it? You can't just tell people "take my remaining life" without making it sound like a marriage proposal!
Really now—what kind of weird world would that be…?
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T/N: I DONT THINK ANY OF YOU READS THE THOUGHTS SECTION SO IM GONNA JUST TRY POSTING IT HERE
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