"No reply to the email?"
Seattle Cyclone stared at the computer screen in front of her. Displayed on it was the message she had sent to Fujimura Hikaru.
A full day had already passed since she sent it, yet no response had come from him.
"Did he not see it? Or is he ignoring me?"
Resting a finger against her chin, Seattle Cyclone thought it over. No matter which of those possibilities it was, either one would be a real nuisance for her.
"If you keep frowning like that, you'll get more wrinkles, A-Xuan~"
Behind her, Secretariat approached with catlike steps. She gently placed both hands on Seattle Cyclone's shoulders, then leaned forward to look past her at the computer screen.
"That trainer still hasn't replied?"
"Mm. Maybe he just hasn't checked his inbox."
"Well, that's unfortunate."
Secretariat reached out, her slender fingers climbing toward Seattle Cyclone's cheek, clearly intending to give it a little pinch. But before she could do anything further, her mischievous hand was smacked away with a slap.
"So what now? If we can't get in touch with this trainer, then there's no way to get close to that red-eyed one."
"Mm. If email doesn't work, then let's go with a more old-fashioned method."
Secretariat said it with perfect ease.
"Old-fashioned…?"
"The next time she signs up for a race, we'll just wait for her at the entrance~"
Seattle Cyclone nodded.
That was indeed one way to do it.
As long as the other party still intended to race in the American circuit, sooner or later there would be a chance to intercept her.
"Brilliant, President."
—
"I'm sorry, Teacher Fujimura… I caused you trouble."
That afternoon, while Fujimura Hikaru was arranging training assignments, Manhattan Cafe said this to him.
Seeing the guilt on her face, there was no way he would fail to understand what she was blaming herself for.
"If I hadn't asked you for help… then you and Tachyon wouldn't have argued…"
Hearing the girl speak, Fujimura Hikaru gave a helpless smile.
"Cafe, you don't need to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong."
The fact that she had come to ask for his help meant that, in Manhattan Cafe's heart, Fujimura Hikaru was someone she could trust.
And it was precisely because of that trust that he had chosen to get involved in Agnes Tachyon's situation.
"..."
The black ahoge atop Cafe's head wilted and drooped limply to one side.
The conflict between the teacher she trusted and her close friend was troubling this sensitive girl more than she could bear.
At this rate, it would start affecting her training.
Seeing her like this, Fujimura Hikaru decided he had to do something.
Better to just sit down and talk openly.
"Cafe, come with me for a bit. I know a pretty good coffee shop near the school. Let's go there and talk over a drink."
"Eh? But isn't it training time right now…?"
"Special circumstances call for special treatment~"
Fujimura Hikaru said with a smile. Then he cupped his hands around his mouth and called out to Almond Eye and Mejiro McQueen, who were running on the track.
"Ai! McQueen! Cafe and I are heading to a coffee shop to get something to drink. Want to come with us?"
"You two go ahead. I'm going to keep training a little longer."
That was Almond Eye's answer.
"Sorry, Hikaru. I'm not that fond of coffee~"
McQueen said with both hands pressed together apologetically.
"Looks like it's just the two of us, then."
Since neither of them was interested, Fujimura Hikaru shrugged and led Manhattan Cafe outside with him.
T-Teacher Fujimura… my hand?
Feeling her hand enclosed within his large one, Manhattan Cafe felt a faint electric sensation travel from the back of her hand up her arm to her shoulder, leaving her spine slightly numb. A trace of color rose to her pale cheeks.
The heartbeat in her chest seemed a little faster than usual.
So being held by someone feels this strange…?
Manhattan Cafe could not help thinking that.
It felt strange…
But she did not want him to let go…
With Fujimura Hikaru holding her hand, Manhattan Cafe kept her head lowered and quietly followed behind him, a soft light flickering in her golden eyes.
The coffee shop he mentioned really was not far from Central Tracen. After leaving the school gate and turning the corner, they arrived within a few steps.
Fujimura Hikaru led Cafe inside and sat down with her in a quiet corner.
"Unsweetened is fine, right?"
He pointed at the menu, and Manhattan Cafe, seated across from him, nodded.
Seeing that she had no objections, he ordered two coffees.
While they waited, Fujimura Hikaru looked at the restless Manhattan Cafe sitting in front of him and asked with a smile,
"Is it really that unusual for you to come out and have coffee with me?"
"No… It's just… I've never gone out alone with someone like this before…"
Though Manhattan Cafe loved coffee, being the enthusiast she was, the number of times she had actually gone out to drink it at a shop could be counted on one hand. Most of the time, she simply made coffee for herself in Tracen's activity room instead.
That was cheaper, and more to her taste.
And besides, she had never really had anyone to go out for coffee with.
Even Tachyon, one of the people she was closest to, was nowhere near as interested in coffee as Cafe was, so naturally she would never accompany her to a café just to savor a cup.
Compared with something like that, Agnes Tachyon would much rather spend her time on experiments.
"So this is your first time going out with me? Then I'm truly honored."
"You're exaggerating…"
While the two of them talked, the waiter brought over their steaming coffee.
Fujimura Hikaru took a light sip. The bitterness unique to coffee, laced with a faint acidity, curled around his tongue and made his mind sharpen immediately.
"Back to the point."
The young trainer set down his cup and asked Cafe,
"Cafe, what do you really think about Tachyon's situation? Don't worry about anything else. Just tell me what you honestly feel."
"I…"
At first Manhattan Cafe wanted to dodge the question, but when she saw the earnest expression on Fujimura Hikaru's face, she obediently voiced what was truly in her heart.
"Tachyon… even though she's obsessed with those experiments… I don't really think that's wrong… but if she gets too absorbed in them, that's not good either…
"I actually didn't want to interfere with Tachyon's decision in the first place…
"Because I knew that no matter what I said, Tachyon wouldn't change her mind…
"But just before I was about to give up, I remembered what you told me, Teacher Fujimura—that if I ran into trouble, I could ask you for help…"
Her voice grew quieter and quieter, and her body began to tremble slightly, as if she were afraid Fujimura Hikaru might scold her.
She really is a child with an overly delicate heart…
"Did I do something wrong, Teacher Fujimura?"
The girl lowered her head as though she wanted to bury it between her knees. She did not dare look at the expression on his face.
If she saw disappointment there, she would fall apart.
And just then, a warm touch suddenly settled on top of her head.
"Eh?"
Manhattan Cafe looked up in surprise and saw Fujimura Hikaru smiling gently at her.
"You're really awkward, Cafe."
....
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