The thin, azure sky was cloudless, the kind that felt like chilled ice, casting a glass-like clarity over the world.
It was that time after the sun had dipped below the horizon but before darkness fully claimed the earth, the light leaving a faint, biting coolness in the air.
While the sky above was shifting into warmer hues, the city below was just waking up, its own palette gradually warming with neon and streetlights.
For modern folks, nightfall didn't signal rest—it was the starting bell for the nightlife.
Especially in a big city like this, business was only just picking up in the malls, bars, and izakayas.
At a corner bar, young people clinked glasses, chatting and laughing boisterously. One among them distractedly scrolled through her phone, refreshing social media over and over, searching for some small comfort.
[Did any of you see it? The debut race at Hanshin today?]
[The race was a total blowout. That one called Platinum is just too strong. And here I was, betting that Fuji Kyoji would pull it off!]
[You and your bets, ha! If this race hadn't blown up online, you wouldn't have even glanced at a debut race.]
Debut races like this were held every day. If you counted the local tracks, the number was practically endless, and most flew completely under the radar. Only those Uma Musume who were already famous prodigies before their debut, or those with prestigious bloodlines, ever drew much attention.
Today's Hanshin debut should have been the same—if Platinum hadn't been there.
Platinum's victory was so dazzling, so overwhelming, it captured everyone's attention in an instant.
[That girl Platinum is just adorable! Waving at the camera while she ran, like it was effortless.]
[Won by a dozen lengths, led from start to finish. That's what they call a 'Great Escape,' right? A true front-runner!]
[She's completely white head-to-toe. I've never seen an Uma Musume with such pure white hair before.]
[I heard she's from Europe. Some kind of special lineage, maybe?]
[Seriously? Don't scare me like that!]
[Alright, that's it. I'm sold. Someone find her social media, does she have a Twitter account or what?]
Of course, besides her overwhelming win, Platinum's looks earned her even more praise.
A doll-like beauty with pure white hair, unmatched talent, a natural idol from every angle—all these factors combined were a recipe for going viral.
The buzz was just starting, but it was easy to see it was only going to grow.
[Hey, are you guys for real? Someone actually likes a girl like that?]
[Word is, she's got a real attitude. After she won, she supposedly locked all the other Musume out of the locker room and left them in the cold. Even bragged that she didn't need any backup dancers for the Winner's Stage.]
[Oh, come on, stop spreading rumors. Since when does the internet need proof to talk nonsense?]
[Believe what you want. My friend who works at Hanshin Racecourse told me.]
[Oh, here we go. And I'm Platinum's boyfriend, why don't you believe me?]
[Stop acting crazy.]
[But, well… she did skip the Winner's Stage for the Hanshin debut, right?]
[The official statement said she wasn't feeling well.]
[Did you see how she looked after the race? Can you honestly picture her getting sick the second she stepped off the track? I sure can't. If you ask me, it's just some foreigner being arrogant, looking down on our Winner's Stage. She might look cute, but who knows how nasty her personality really is.]
[Isn't it a bit much to attack her like that? And honestly, refusing the Winner's Stage? Kinda cool and rock 'n' roll, don't you think?]
[We don't need someone like that here. If she's some spoiled princess, she should just go back where she came from.]
Reading these comments, Platinum pursed her lips and put her phone away.
She was huddled under the hood of a bulky windbreaker, trying to stuff her conspicuously pure white hair inside. The jacket was several sizes too big for her, hanging down past her calves.
With a surge of frustration, she shoved the phone into her pocket and raised her voice.
"Hey—Boss! Where's the boss? I've been sitting here forever, how come no one's served me a drink?"
The bartender, a woman with a streak of blue in her bangs, shot Platinum a glance.
"Little miss, you should head home. This isn't the place for you. I'm not selling you any alcohol."
"I'm not a 'little miss,' I'm an adult!" Platinum slammed a hand on the table, a wave of 'what does it even matter anymore' washing over her. "Why do you care? Just give it to me!"
"Take a look in the mirror, then think about your height," the bartender sighed, placing a glass of lemonade in front of Platinum and tucking a bill under the coaster.
"And listen to your voice. Have you even hit your growth spurt, little miss?"
"Running away from home angry won't solve anything. Talking it out with your parents or friends is the way to go. All you're doing is hurting the people who care about you. Finish this, then take a taxi home. It's on me."
Maybe the bartender meant well, but her words managed to trample all over Platinum's sore spots.
Platinum shot to her feet with a thud, her throat working, then sank back down onto the stool, deflated.
She was right. Throwing a tantrum here was pointless.
How had she even ended up here, anyway? She'd just run out of the racecourse, at a loss about where to go, and next thing she knew, she was sitting here.
Nothing mattered anymore. It was all over. This so-called 'new life' was just an illusion; these two legs of hers were nothing but phantom limbs made of wax.
This shitty world hadn't left her any way out.
As a player in this game called 'Earth Online,' maybe it was time to consider logging off for good.
Platinum's lips twisted into a bitter smile, the dry skin cracking slightly.
She was thirsty and exhausted. The race had drained her energy, sapped her fluids and salts, and since bolting from the track, she hadn't had a drop of water or a bite to eat.
"—Hey, little miss." Right then, the young man sitting next to her gave a warm wave. He wore sky-blue colored contacts, his ears studded with piercings, a wooden guitar resting by his feet. Dressed in a long shirt, he smiled kindly at her. "You want a drink?"
"If you take that hood off, I'll give you this one right here." He pointed to the glass in front of him.
"Haha, come on, Masashi, don't tease the kid," his companion, sitting beside him, nudged him playfully and winked at Platinum.
"Don't worry, we're in a band. We play here sometimes. I'm on keys, Masashi here's on guitar. He's super popular with the ladies, you know."
"Hey, you two, that's enough," the bartender frowned, shooting them a warning look before turning back to Platinum. "Don't mind them. Finish your water and get going."
"…You want to see what I look like? Fine." Completely ignoring the bartender, Platinum yanked the hood down.
Her stark white, almost translucent hair tumbled free, and the ears on top of her head twitched instinctively, sensing the shift in the air.
She shook her head slightly, letting her hair fall completely free from its confinement. Her sweet-featured face was now fully exposed to everyone in the room.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.