"What."
"Trust me, I'd explain if I could." I said, smiling wryly as I vaguely gestured at the obviously abnormal Turf they were standing on. The entire track was magically clear of any snow, and any snow that fell from the clouds immediately melted the moment they came even inches from touching the discolored Turf.
Kitahara stared at me, and then to the Turf beneath him, and then to a happy Teio who was currently melting with bliss as she laid on the comfortably warm Turf. "Right." He eventually said, sighing as he smiled. "Never a dull day with you here, huh?"
"That's me, your favorite little Star~" I leaned forward and winked. "It's my job to keep everyone on their toes!"
"Mhm." He said, raising an eyebrow. "And you totally didn't injure yourself again, right? Because you know what Oguri'll do if you–"
"I really didn't." I said with a small grimace. And I was even being genuine this time! No obvious gold cracks had appeared on my body, and aside that initial discomfort I felt when I first connected to the Turf below me, nothing else had happened. I was as healthy as I could be!
He stared at me for a while longer, before he finally huffed. "Well if you say so." He grinned. "So, all that just to melt some snow? Didn't think the heroic Blossom Star would use her magical powers for something so mundane."
"You think these hands have the strength to shovel snow for that long?" I asked, giving my hands a shake.
"Girl, you can throw me through a wall." He said. "If you want to, you can probably fling that snow to another town."
"And you'll probably survive." I said, still somewhat perplexed at Kitahara's insane endurance. Or any trainer aside from Riko Kashimoto really—Team Spica's trainer was somehow able to tank several kicks to the face and not develop any brain damage.
He shrugged. "I've always been tough."
"But not tough enough to stop yourself from getting a nosebleed from tripping." I shot back.
He smirked. "It's my secret weakness. Don't tell anyone."
I laughed softly, and I found my gaze eventually wandering to the left. And there I found Director Akikawa and Hayakawa Tazuna, both of them mesmerized by the change the modified Turf had undergone without their supervision. Director Akikawa was especially pleased, and she hopped across the Turf with a bright smile on her face.
"Amazing! Solid yet comforting, perfectly accommodating for any motion or momentum–!" She spun on the balls of her feet before she whipped out a fan from somewhere, with '10/10' drawn across it in black ink. "Perfection! This is undoubtedly the highest quality Turf I have ever had the honor to experience!"
Tazuna's expression was soft with wonder. "It's warm…" She whispered, and her smile was tinged with nostalgia. "Running across this would certainly be wonderful." She sighed fondly. "How enviable." She whispered soft enough for most humans to not hear it, and yet Director Akikwa nodded in agreement.
I rolled my eyes as I turned away. Kitahara was also smiling when our eyes met, though he just shrugged when I raised an eyebrow. It was clear that he was also in on the scheme.
Which made sense. He didn't want to get the Director's PMC on his trail after all.
"So, what's up?" I asked. "It's a little rare for you to come here together with Tazuna-san and the Director."
He was quiet for a moment, before he sighed and pulled out his newly-acquired Central license. My eyes widened for a moment, before I smiled. "Nice."
He raised an eyebrow. "That's it?"
I smiled faintly. "Do you want me to congratulate you?"
He huffed out a laugh. "Point." He said, and his expression lightened considerably as he stared at the card in his hands. "Just feels kinda weird, y'know? I spent years fighting to get it, and now that I have it, it's practically useless."
"Well I wouldn't go that far." I said, gently plucking the license from his hands. "It'll definitely come in useful someday. Who knows, maybe one day you'll be out in the boonies, and you'll need something convincing." I grinned as I shook it slightly.
He snorted. "Yeah, right." He said as he took the license back. "Oh, by the way, we're gonna have a Christmas party soon."
I blinked. "What?"
"And technically a New Year's celebration too." He added. "It'll be a school-wide thing. The entire Tracen Central will be celebrating it, and you can invite anyone." He smiled. "Got anyone you wanna invite?"
I hummed. "My parents, obviously." I said, and then added, "Shibasaki-san and March as well." I paused after that. I tried to think of anyone else I was even somewhat of a friend with, and I felt somewhat embarrassed when I came out empty-handed. "And that's it, I guess."
He didn't call me out on it, thankfully. "Yeah, that should work." He smiled. "Should be a good way to introduce that guy to how it'll be when he's here."
I smirked. "That'll be one hell of an introduction." I said, and then raised an eyebrow at him. "And you? Got anyone special you're planning on inviting?"
"Well," He said, with a grin of someone who was obviously in love. "Who knows?"
"Sure~" I drawled out, quietly making plans to buy a few gifts for White Narubi. Not just as a bribe to get her to join us when we left for America, but also to thank her for all the care she's given to Oguri. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that her love for her child was the thing that had literally kept me alive.
Suddenly,
"Alright, the great Tokai Teio has fully recovered!" Teio shouted as she abruptly stood up, practically glowing with vitality as she hopped towards me. "Come on, senpai! Let's go race again!"
I smirked. "Oh? Ready to get caught again?"
"I-It'll be different this time!" She said, pouting cutely as she glared at me. "I won't lose again!"
Kitahara chuckled. "Well, why don't we make it official then?" He said as he pulled out a stopwatch from his pockets. "Let's hold a little trial race between you two." He then paused for a moment before he turned to Teio. "Also, I'm Kitahara Jo. I'm this idiot's trainer." He said, grinning as he playfully ruffled my hair.
"Don't be fooled, he's also dumb." I said, playfully jabbing at his sides.
"She's dumber." He immediately said.
"A Trainer…" Teio whispered with awe. And silently, she prayed that she'd eventually find a Trainer of her own—someone she could be comfortable with, just like how Kitahara and I were playing around. "Then the great Teio will rely on you this time, Kitahara-ossan!"
And suddenly, Kitahara's face went pale as he shriveled into himself. "O-Ossan…?" He whispered in horror.
I snorted as I patted his shoulder. "To be fair, you do look old." I said without remorse. "That's what you get for skipping skincare, idiot."
"They're expensive…"
I stared at him for a moment, and then realized that he'd probably adopted some of Tamamo Cross' thinking in regards to money. No wonder I never saw him spend all his money on anything aside from feeding Oguri—the poor guy was probably getting stressed to hell and back thinking about what to use his spare cash for.
I patted his shoulder. "That's rough, buddy."
He sighed, before he shook his head. "Alright, enough's enough." He grinned as he held up his stopwatch. "Let's get this trial race goin', yeah?"
My ears perked up, and I turned to Teio. "Ready for another round?"
Teio's eyes shone with determination as she clenched her fists. "Bring it on, senpai!"
.
.
.
The next few days went on like that. Either spent together with Oguri, or jogging with Teio. Sometimes Oguri would join me in our little trial races, though that didn't happen as often. Oguri wasn't very good at holding back, and most times it'd just end with Teio being completely left behind.
Also, I had the pleasure of seeing the abject look of betrayal in Symboli Rudolf's face when she first saw Teio running with me.
It was a shame I wasn't carrying a camera or something, but oh well.
And soon enough, the 31st of December arrived, and the entirety of Tracen Central was filled with cheer as everyone celebrated for the upcoming new year.