...
In a daze, Lucian suddenly understood the meaning behind the phrase "It feels like something shot through my heart."
That was an arrow called "emotion."
Lucian's heart instantly softened.
"Trainer, why haven't you come to watch Urara's rehearsals all these days? Urara really wanted to dance for you."
Lucian didn't make any excuses and sincerely apologized.
At first, he had planned to wait for the official performance, but later, he became absorbed in his kitchen... Now that he thought about it, he really shouldn't have neglected her. No matter how busy he was, he should have made time to watch.
He had made his little horse girl sad.
The other horse girls were also stunned by Urara's bold move.
"So direct..." Silence Suzuka wasn't just feeling jealous—she also envied Urara's courage and boldness.
Forget hugging, she didn't even have the courage to express her feelings... It felt like she had lost completely.
"Urara, we agreed last night! How could you betray us at the last moment?" Seiun Sky walked over.
She wanted to imitate Urara and throw herself into Lucian's arms, but she found it difficult to take that step.
Still, seeing Urara snuggled up against Lucian made the "seed" inside her grow even faster.
"Urara, that's too unfair!" Special Week—no, right now, she was "Special Fierce"—marched over.
Didn't we agree to tease the trainer together? Why is this different from what we planned?
"Spe-chan is so mean, always scolding people." Urara glanced at Special Week, then turned her head the other way, resting her cheek against Lucian's stomach from a different angle.
Special Week instantly turned to stone.
"Alright, alright, I'm sorry, everyone. Let's not crowd around outside—come sit in the restaurant." Seeing more and more horse girls gathering to watch, Lucian spoke up. "Little Bailey, you don't have to stand guard either. I won't run."
Not that he could even if he wanted to.
...
The restaurant was much cooler than outside.
Lucian prepared several servings of douhua (sweet tofu pudding) as a sincere apology. "Everyone, try some—this is my way of saying sorry~"
"You think a little douhua can win us over?" Seiun Sky muttered defiantly, but she still obediently scooped a spoonful.
So sweet... so delicious...
Truly irresistible.
After swallowing, she added, "Ahem... the douhua isn't bad, but what about our big feast?"
"You'll get it eventually. I'm still refining the dishes."
"Oh, really?" Silence Suzuka set down her spoon, not touching the douhua—she didn't want to be won over so easily. "But I heard Meishou Doto and the others got to taste it yesterday."
"Trainer, Urara is so jealous! There's an old saying in your country right? Oh yeah—'The horse girls at home aren't as fragrant as the ones outside!'"
"Uh, that's not an old saying in my country..." Lucian sighed. "Yesterday's dishes were experimental. The ones I'll serve you later will be improved versions."
"Really?" Silence Suzuka tapped her arm with a finger, feeling like she shouldn't let Lucian off so easily.
But with so many people around, she couldn't voice her request openly... It had to be done secretly.
The matter of massages—Silence Suzuka didn't want anyone else to find out.
"Really, absolutely true."
At this point, Lucian finally understood why they had all come to block him. Someone must have tipped them off.
He glanced at Rice Shower, who was silently focused on eating.
Eating his food, learning from him, and now selling him out? Fine, fine.
Rice Shower seemed to sense a gaze but found nothing when she looked up, so she went back to eating her douhua.
"Wow—this douhua is amazing!" Tokai Teio scooped up spoonful after spoonful, not finding it too sweet at all.
"Good, right? I added a bit of honey."
"Hachimi?" Honey was Tokai Teio's favorite.
"Yeah." Seeing that everyone else had started eating, only Silence Suzuka remained unmoved, Lucian said, "Suzuka, still not eating? Do you need the trainer to feed you?"
Silence Suzuka lowered her head and picked up her spoon.
Idiot, why say that out loud... Tokai Teio, Rice Shower, and Dextrous Bailey didn't know about it yet.
If only there weren't so many people around... Huh, why couldn't she?
—The gates to a new world suddenly swung open.
While getting a massage, having a cup of tea... or a bowl of douhua—was that too much to ask?
Lucian-kun would definitely say something like, "Do you want me to feed you?" and then she could just agree.
Silence Suzuka had already made her little calculations in her heart, and her earlier jealousy completely vanished.
...
Once everyone had enjoyed their fill, Lucian asked with concern, "How's the rehearsal going?"
Tokai Teio grinned. "Oh? Now the trainer cares?"
"Please spare me, I'm begging" If this continued, Lucian would have to bow to them. "Tell me, I've been looking forward to it—that's the truth."
"Fine~" Tokai Teio wiped her mouth with a napkin. "Everyone's rehearsals are going great. A little more practice, and it'll be perfect."
"No rehearsal this afternoon?" Lucian asked again.
"Of course there is." After dancing for so many days, Special Week's enthusiasm had long worn thin. "We're heading over soon."
"Alright, then do your best. Um... after you finish in the evening, do you want to come here for dinner? But it'll still be experimental dishes."
Today, Lucian was planning to make crab roe shumai and supreme shrimp dumplings.
The horse girls exchanged glances.
Seiun Sky said, "Let's save the best for last~"
Silence Suzuka: "By the time we finish training, it'll be very late."
Special Week: "The trainer works hard too. We can just eat at the cafeteria."
Tokai Teio: "I don't even want to know the dish names—I want to be surprised!"
Urara: "Everyone's right."
Dextrous Bailey, however, suggested, "How about everyone comes to my place for barbecue tonight? My treat."
Her little shop had been set up quickly and was already ready for business.
After some thought, the horse girls agreed—it wouldn't hurt to indulge in something hearty once in a while.
Lucian nodded. "Then everyone can gather there tonight. Looking forward to Little Bailey's skills."
"Well... it still won't compare to the trainer's." Dextrous Bailey rarely showed shyness in front of everyone.
...
A while later, everyone gradually left.
The restaurant was once again just Lucian and Rice Shower.
Lucian gave Rice Shower a kind smile. "Rice Shower, let's go. To the kitchen."
"Mm."
...