...Ardan and the others went to see Nakatsuru Aya this year too.
Seeing the flood of updates from the various Uma Musume on his feed, Okino couldn't help a light chuckle, his thumb casually tapping the like button.
Work commitments meant she'd only been able to visit her that morning, driving over with Hana while the Uma Musume were all stuck in their classrooms.
Glancing out the window at the now pitch-black night sky, Okino leaned back in his chair, shifting to a more comfortable position as he scrolled on his phone.
With practiced ease, he pulled down the notification shade, found a specific greyed-out icon amongst his many contacts, and tapped it, switching from voice input to text.
[I'll Be the World's Best Trainer!: Evening.]
After sending that, not really expecting an immediate reply, Okino's fingers kept dancing across the virtual keyboard: [You there?]
"..."
A minute passed with no response. Okino instinctively checked the time.
10:36 PM and still not around?
He grumbled internally, then stowed her phone away.
That morning, while discussing things with Hana, he'd realized something he'd previously overlooked.
The reply times from this social media account that had suddenly added him, while seeming random, actually followed a strict pattern.
She'd occasionally reply to some messages between six and seven in the morning, sometimes around noon... but a large portion of the times she sent messages fell squarely between 4:00 PM and 8:30 PM.
An office worker? Or a student?
Ugh... head hurts.
Thinking about it made his head throb. Okino reached over, grabbed a can of an energy drink, pulled the tab, and took a swig.
Those active hours pointed towards an office worker's break times, but the complete radio silence after 8:30 PM felt more like a student who'd been sent to bed by their parents because of school the next day.
But whichever it was, finding the person behind this account amongst the masses of office workers or students was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
...Unless he used some... special methods to get their exact address.
Startled by his own thoughts, Okino vigorously shook his head.
'Okino, what are you even thinking? That's illegal!'
Absolutely! Cannot touch that!
Forcing the terrifying idea out of his mind, the man took a deep breath and habitually pulled a lollipop from his breast pocket, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth.
Forget it, I'll just wait a bit longer.
Feeling the sweet and sour taste spread across his tongue, Okino sat up straight.
Winter break was just around the corner. Whether she was a student or an office worker would become clear then.
For now, I should just finish up this last bit of work and get a good night's sleep.
--+--
"Yahooo—I'm home!"
The young woman with a high ponytail tossed her single-strap bag onto the sofa, immediately latching onto Bless the Moment and nuzzling her. "Has little Bless missed her Nee-chan after all this time?"
"Are you a facehugger? Let me go already!"
"Calling your Nee-chan a 'facehugger' is so rude, isn't it?"
The young woman, all smiles, reached out and kneaded Bless the Moment's cheeks like dough. "Come on, say 'Nee-chan'."
"It's so hot... Get off me already."
Bless the Moment pushed her sister's approaching face away with disdain.
"Waaah, my little sister finds me disgusting now."
Obligingly letting herself be pushed away, the young woman sat down beside her sister, covered her face with her hands, and let out fake sobs.
"Nee-chan, why are you back?"
Finally having managed to detach her sister from her person, Bless the Moment asked.
"Huh? Didn't Mom and Dad tell you?"
The young woman, tilting her head back to drink from a water bottle she'd pulled from her bag, looked puzzled. "Starting today, I'm officially on winter break."
Starting today?
Bless the Moment felt a twinge of envy. "...Does university break start that early?"
"Yep, yep! I rushed straight back after my last class to see my little Bless."
The young woman leaned in again, trying to pull her sister into another hug, but when the white-haired Uma Musume evaded her, she immediately put on a pitiful expression again. "Waaah, my sister won't be affectionate with me."
"Nee-chan... please, act normal."
Bless the Moment felt utterly helpless at being pestered like this.
What did her sister being on winter break mean?
It meant she'd be dragged out of bed early in the morning, and if her sister got any ideas, Bless would likely be stuck dealing with her.
And of all times, it had to be now, deep into winter, when she'd long since gotten used to cozying up at home.
...I guess I'll just hide in my room every day once break starts, Bless the Moment thought to herself.
As the two sisters interacted, the middle-aged man sitting on the sofa watched them with a smile, his gaze never leaving them.
...So happy.
He thought.
To have walked into marriage with someone he loved, and to have two beautiful, lovely daughters.
My life is complete.
The middle-aged man thought with deep satisfaction.
"Once this winter break is over, you'll be starting high school, Bless. Have you thought about which school you want to go to?"
After another round of playful banter, Kawasaki Ryoko, having withdrawn her hands under Bless the Moment's resentful stare, asked cheerfully, "How about trying the local Tracen branch? It's close to home."
"No, I already promised Kita-chan and Dia. We're all going to Central Tracen Academy together."
"Central Tracen?"
Ryoko's smile froze on her face. "But your health..."
"I'm entering Central Tracen as a 'support-type Uma Musume'," Bless the Moment cut in, having known this question was coming. "So don't worry, big sis. I won't be running on the track. I'll just be providing support for Kitasan Black and the others."
"...Dad, is Bless telling the truth?"
After staring at the white-haired Uma Musume beside her for a few seconds, Ryoko shifted her gaze to their father, who was sitting not far away.
"Mm, it's true."
The middle-aged man, who had been watching the scene unfold, nodded. "I specifically asked Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond. Bless isn't lying."
"I see..."
Seeing her father nod, Ryoko visibly relaxed.
"Big sister, just how little do you all trust me?"
Seeing her sister's reaction, Bless the Moment sighed in resignation. "I can understand Kita-chan and the others being worried, but even you guys..."
"Kitasan Black and the others told us, you know? About how you coughed up a mouthful of blood the first time you met them."
Ryoko, her smile still in place, suddenly dropped a bombshell that caught Bless the Moment completely off guard. "You didn't think we were all unaware of that, did you?"
"Cough...!"
Under the combined stare of her father and sister, the white-haired Uma Musume felt an inexplicable sense of guilt.
So Mom, Dad, and Big Sister already knew all about it.
--+--
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.