The first thing I felt was the silence.
A strange silence, too clean, as if the world had decided to hold its breath. There were no shouts, no hooves striking the ground, no roar from the crowd. Only calm... and a faint scent of tea.
I tried to move.
My arms responded sluggishly, as if waking from a deep sleep. My fingers closed over a soft sheet, finer than anything I had ever touched. Confused, I tried to sit up, but something wasn't right.
My legs didn't move.
It didn't matter how hard I tried. It didn't matter how much strength I thought I was using. From the waist down, I felt absolutely nothing.
A shiver ran down my spine.
"Wh-where...?" my voice came out weak, barely a whisper.
I opened my eyes.
Above me loomed a high ceiling, elegantly decorated, with chandeliers that seemed taken from an ancient mansion. Sunlight streamed softly through wide windows, illuminating a massive, luxurious... unreal room.
This wasn't a hospital, or anywhere I knew.
"He has awakened."
The voice was calm, refined.
I turned my head with difficulty and then I saw them.
Seven figures stood in the room, watching me intently. They were all young, beautiful girls, with a presence that commanded respect in different ways. But what caught my attention the most—what made my mind go completely blank—were their ears.
Horse ears.
"A-am I dreaming...?" I muttered, feeling panic begin to mix with confusion.
One of them stepped forward. Her bearing was elegant, almost noble, with a serene and dignified expression.
"Please, calm yourself," she said with a slight bow of her head. "You are safe. You are in the Mejiro family mansion."
Mejiro... family.
That name echoed in my mind with impossible clarity.
No. It couldn't be.
Before I could formulate another question, a girl with an energetic expression and determined gaze crossed her arms, observing me with curiosity.
"Seriously, you appeared out of nowhere in the garden," she commented. "It almost looked like you were dropped from the sky."
"Ryan..." another girl with light hair reprimanded her softly, wearing a relaxed smile. "Don't pressure him so much, he just woke up."
I tried to swallow, but my throat was dry.
"I..." my voice trembled. "Who... who are you?"
There was a brief silence.
The elegant girl spoke again.
"I am Mejiro McQueen. These are my family members."
One by one, the others introduced themselves naturally, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Mejiro Ryan, Mejiro Palmer, Mejiro Ardan, Mejiro Dober, Mejiro Bright... and Mejiro Ramonu, whose mere presence commanded respect.
My heart was pounding.
I wasn't just somewhere else. I was definitely in another world.
"We found you unconscious in the back garden," McQueen explained. "You had no visible injuries, but you wouldn't wake up. We decided to bring you to a room and call a doctor."
"Garden...?" I repeated. "I was at a racetrack..."
The memory came rushing back.
The horse. The fall. The impact.
My breathing grew erratic.
"My legs...!" I exclaimed, trying to move them again.
Nothing.
The silence that followed was heavy.
The girls' expressions shifted subtly. Some lowered their gaze; others frowned in concern.
McQueen stepped a little closer.
"We know," she said softly. "The doctor informed us about it."
Her words did nothing to reassure me.
"Am I...?" I couldn't finish the sentence.
"We don't know," she answered honestly. "But while you are here, our doctors will give you a full examination."
I felt a knot in my chest.
I, who had dreamed of riding horses, of running alongside them... now couldn't even stand up. And yet, there I was. In a luxurious bed, surrounded by girls who didn't know me, and who, even so, looked at me with a mix of concern, curiosity, and something else I couldn't quite identify.
"C-can you..." I hesitated. "Can you tell me one thing?"
"Of course," Palmer replied with a smile.
I swallowed hard.
"What am I supposed to do now?"
There was a brief silence.
Then, McQueen smiled gently.
"Rest," she said. "Allow us to take care of you, at least until your mind clears."
I didn't know it at the time, but that was the beginning of a completely different life. A life in which my clumsy and insecure heart would begin to face feelings I never imagined...