"Sirius… don't you think Rudolf's been kind of… off today?"
Kitahara Sota sat in a chair in Sirius's room, frowning in thought.
Across from him, Sirius—now changed into something light and comfortable—knit her brows. At his question, she shot him an exasperated sideways look.
"You're only noticing now?"
She still didn't know what Rudolf had been scheming when she'd offered, unprompted, to let Kitahara stay in her room.
But with Rudolf having gone that far—and with Sirius half-suspecting she was playing some kind of push-and-pull—Sirius, confused as she was, didn't refuse.
As for Kitahara, the moment Sirius made her decision, he looked distinctly unhappy and tried to persuade them to come up with something safer.
I mean—sure, his dorm room had basically become a public space by now, but up to this point, he'd never actually gone to sleep in another girl's room.
Even if Sirius was basically a "bro" to him, no matter how tomboyish she acted, she was still a woman. That was something he had to respect.
And this was the Symboli main house, of all places. If someone saw them… people could say whatever they wanted about him, but it would be bad if it smeared Sirius's reputation.
But the moment Kitahara finished voicing his concerns and tried to change her mind—
Sirius didn't waste a single word. She simply dragged him straight to her room, giving him yet another firsthand lesson in the eternal truth:
Humans cannot resist an Umamusume.
After hauling him inside, Sirius shoved him into a seat, then immediately went to take a shower and peel off the dress that had made her miserable all day.
Of course, she changed in private.
When she came back out—freshly dressed—she sat down not far from him. The two of them looked at each other, and that was how their earlier exchange began.
As for Kitahara's question, Sirius could say with confidence that Rudolf wasn't right today.
The problem was how she wasn't right. Sirius had turned it over in her head for ages and still couldn't pin it down.
After all, in all the years she'd known Rudolf, this was the first time she'd seen her emotions swing so wildly in such a short span. If nothing else, it was new.
"Do you want to take a shower and change?" Sirius asked at last, giving up on finding an answer and turning her attention to Kitahara instead.
"I've got some men's clothes. No idea if they'll fit you, though."
"A shower… isn't necessary," Kitahara said after a pause, his gaze sliding to the sofa off to the side.
"I'll just rest over there tonight. I'll leave at dawn."
"Suit yourself."
Sirius didn't argue with him. After answering, she glanced at the wall clock. The hands hadn't moved much since they'd left the hotel—and after everything today, she wasn't sleepy at all.
She thought for a bit. With no real clues coming from Rudolf's side, Sirius stopped fixating on it and shifted to another question.
"Kitahara… have you and that woman—Rudolf—known each other a long time?"
"Nope."
Kitahara looked up, puzzled.
"I only met her after I started working last year. And it was because of Teio—things got a little unpleasant… I'm pretty sure Teio told you about that, didn't she?"
"She did, yeah…" Sirius paused, her eyes sweeping over him a few times.
"But don't you think the way you two work together is… a little too smooth?"
Kitahara considered it.
"Maybe it's because our habits and logic line up?"
"…Maybe."
Sirius found that explanation flimsy, but she couldn't think of a clean rebuttal on the spot, so she nodded—reluctantly accepting it—then pressed on.
"Then if you two get along that well… you don't have any thoughts about her?"
Kitahara didn't react right away.
"Thoughts… like what?"
He blinked, then suddenly seemed to realize.
"Oh—you mean her trying to recruit me. Honestly, I think Rudolf would make a good boss. Her goals are solid, and she treats her people well. It's just that I personally prefer a calmer, more laid-back life…"
…Has this man's brain been replaced with hardwood?
Sirius had been about to correct him—to tell him she meant romantic feelings.
But looking at how earnestly Kitahara was answering, Sirius went quiet, sighed, and wondered why she'd asked something so stupid in the first place.
"Forget it. Let's not talk about her."
Rubbing at the fatigue Kitahara was giving her, Sirius let out another sigh.
"Let's talk about you."
"Me?"
Kitahara froze, then frowned.
"What's there to talk about?"
"A lot, actually."
Sirius shot him an irritated look.
"That 'energy' you tested with me before, the way you learn things—like dance—and your relationships at Tracen Academy… There's no one else here, so tell me the truth. Are you really human? I can swear to the Three Goddesses—I won't tell anyone what you say."
"Of course I am," Kitahara said, staring at her like she'd grown another head.
"Didn't I tell you that at the hotel?"
"I don't believe you."
Sirius propped her chin on one hand and studied him closely. After a long look, she nodded slowly.
"Yeah. No matter how I look at you, you don't seem human. At minimum, you're not a normal one."
"…Sirius, that's basically a personal attack."
"I'm just stating facts."
Ignoring his protest, Sirius paused, then continued.
"Fine. Since you say you're normal, I'll ask you a few questions and see how normal you really are."
"Go ahead," Kitahara said, accepting immediately.
Then, after a brief silence, Sirius spoke, her expression solemn.
"When it comes to the opposite sex, do you prefer long hair or short hair?"
Kitahara blinked a few times. Once it clicked, he ventured carefully,
"Um, Sirius… does that have anything to do with being normal…?"
"Of course it does," Sirius said, face perfectly straight.
"A normal person should have preferences. But you—outside of Umamusume research—you look like you want nothing at all. Sometimes you're even weirder than the mad scientist on your team… you get what I mean?"
After a beat, she added,
"Oh, and don't give me some vague answer like 'I like both.' That just makes you sound like you have no sense of self. Not normal."
This…
Even after Sirius's explanation, Kitahara still felt something about it was off—but he couldn't put his finger on what. After thinking it over, he could only accept it.
What he didn't know was that while he felt weird about it, Sirius—despite looking calm on the outside—was also quietly doubting herself.
This is strange. Normally I'm the least interested in this kind of romance-preference talk. I don't just avoid it—I actively change the subject when someone brings it up. So why am I the one bringing it up today…?
Was it because I wore that dress all day and it rewired my brain into thinking like a "normal" Umamusume?
While Sirius muttered internally, Kitahara gave his answer.
"I feel like long or short doesn't really matter… but if I have to choose, I guess longer hair."
Sirius lifted a brow and kept going. "Height? Tall or short?"
Kitahara thought for a moment.
"As long as it's within a normal range… if everything else is equal, then… shorter?"
Sirius pinched her chin, something unreadable gathering in her eyes.
"Personality, then. More steady and composed, or more straightforward?"
"Probably steady and composed. You know me—huh?"
Kitahara blinked at Sirius.
"Sirius… did I say something wrong? You look like you're… kind of mad."
"Hm? What are you talking about?"
Sirius pressed down that subtle feeling in her chest and kept her expression level.
"I just asked you a few questions. How could I be angry?"
But your ears literally folded back just now…
Kitahara almost said it out loud. But looking at Sirius's composed face—and guided by pure survival instinct—he kept his mouth shut.
"Then… keep asking."
He muttered under his breath,
"Either way, I'm definitely normal…"
...
While Kitahara and Sirius talked late into the night, Rudolf had also washed up and changed. After dealing with a bit of work, there was a knock at her door.
"Milady, the family head requests your presence."
Rudolf nodded.
"Good timing. I have something to discuss with her as well—where is she?"
"The study."
"Alright. I'll go now. No need to lead me."
Throwing on an outer garment, Rudolf left her room and headed to the study.
When she opened the door, the Symboli family head sat in a chair. On the desk in front of her were two steaming cups of tea.
She looked up at Rudolf and pointed to the seat opposite.
"Sit."
Enter. Close the door. Take a seat.
Rudolf frowned as she looked at Symboli Speed across from her. Something about the old woman's attitude tonight felt far too courteous—nothing like Rudolf's understanding of her.
In Rudolf's experience, the moment she opened the door, she should've seen Symboli Speed buried in work.
And even if she weren't working, she wouldn't spare Rudolf a glance. The instant she sensed Rudolf's presence, she'd launch into a sharp lecture—never giving Rudolf room to speak.
But tonight, not only was the old woman not overbearing as usual, she'd invited Rudolf to sit—and even prepared tea.
At this point, if she calmly announced that the world was ending tomorrow, Rudolf wouldn't have found it any stranger.
So Rudolf sat across from Symboli Speed with a sense of creeping unease, and fell into silence.
A long time passed.
Staring at the relaxed, unrecognizable Symboli Speed, Rudolf finally couldn't hold it in.
"I heard you called for me. What is it?"
"I do have something to discuss."
Symboli Speed nodded, tapping the lid lightly against the rim of her cup before lifting her gaze.
"But you came so quickly… which means you also have something you want from me, don't you?"
This old woman…
Rudolf drew a breath. She didn't want to spar with her in circles tonight. She cut straight to it.
"Fine. I'll be blunt. What was that matchmaking about? Were you just playing with me, or did something happen?"
"And don't tell me you 'forgot' and I should come back in a few days. My time is tight. I've already kept my end of the deal once. There will not be a next time—"
"I was wondering what you were going to say."
Rudolf's tone wasn't polite—if anything, it bordered on insolent—yet for some reason Symboli Speed looked even more pleased.
"Matchmaking? Didn't it go quite smoothly? Honestly, it went so smoothly it almost feels excessive…"
"…What are you talking about?"
Rudolf frowned, baffled.
"I waited there all day. I never met any 'match' you mentioned. And later I messaged you to ask what was going on—you didn't reply to any of it…"
"Because there was no need to."
Symboli Speed cut her off. She looked at Rudolf's face—serious, with anger threading through it—and went quiet for a moment. Then, unexpectedly, she lowered her head.
Rudolf was about to ask what that was supposed to mean when, in the silent study, she heard it—
A laugh.
It was extremely faint. But it was late at night, when everything else was still, and Rudolf's hearing was sharper than most Umamusume. She caught it anyway.
Her first reaction wasn't she's laughing.
Her first reaction was to scan the room for someone else.
When she found no one, she slowly—almost disbelievingly—looked back at Symboli Speed.
…Her?
She laughed?
That old woman actually laughed?!
Rudolf couldn't believe her ears.
As an Umamusume born to the Symboli family, even after entering Tracen Academy, she had spent many years living under this roof—had been around Symboli Speed more times than she could count.
And yet in all her memories, Symboli Speed had never once smiled at her.
Even if Rudolf asked every member of the family one by one, she doubted she could gather enough confirmations to fill even a single hand.
And even if someone did confirm it, it would probably be some elderly relative reminiscing about the old woman's smile from her youth.
But now…
Under Rudolf's stunned stare, Symboli Speed slowly raised her head. The smile was gone, but the emotion in her eyes—so unlike her usual self—was unmistakable.
"What do you mean, there was 'no need'?"
For some reason, after hearing that laugh, Rudolf didn't feel relieved. By any normal logic, a Symboli Speed in a good mood should've been easier to deal with.
Instead, a sense of danger churned in Rudolf's gut.
And when Symboli Speed looked up at her, that feeling spiked so hard Rudolf felt uneasy—almost like she should turn around and leave.
"Exactly what it sounds like," Symboli Speed said, looking at her as the corner of her mouth slowly lifted.
"There was no need to reply to your messages."
"Like I said, I didn't meet any matchmaking partner. All day I was—"
Her words cut off.
Rudolf's body went rigid.
Symboli Speed didn't rush. She raised her cup and took a sip before looking back at Rudolf.
"Mhm. Good. Looks like you've realized what the problem is."
Setting the cup down, she crossed her hands slowly, watching Rudolf's frozen posture with a hint of amusement.
"So, Rudolf…"
"The matchmaking partner I arranged for you—how'd he feel to you?"
---
T/N: OHHHH HERE WE GOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
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