In the third week of April, the sky over Nakayama Racecourse was overcast, heavy with the threat of imminent rain. King Halo lifted her gaze to the gloomy heavens shrouding the track, hesitation clear in her stance.
"What's holding you back?"
Just as King Halo was wrestling with her thoughts, a cool, detached female voice came from behind her.
Startled, she turned around instinctively, and let out a soft sigh of relief when she realized it wasn't Dream Weaver.
Noticing how King Halo was calming her racing heart, Admire Vega narrowed her eyes slightly, as if picking up on something.
"You're avoiding Dream Weaver."
Caught off guard by Admire Vega's sharp intuition, King Halo took two subconscious steps backward, crossing her arms defensively.
She opened her mouth to say something, but Admire Vega cut her off immediately.
"I can't read minds."
That was basically mind-reading, and it only intensified King Halo's unease. She retreated another couple of steps.
Seeing how defensive King Halo was, Admire Vega could only shake her head helplessly before explaining.
"I'm Admire Vega. I'm here for the Satsuki Sho."
"As for how I guessed what you were thinking…"
"It's written all over your face."
Watching King Halo pull out her phone to check her own reflection, Admire Vega sighed and decided to cut straight to the point.
"The whole thing between you and your sister has been all over Tracen for days."
At those words, King Halo's expression dimmed instantly.
After that argument, it hadn't taken long for King Halo to realize it was entirely her fault. Out of some ridiculous sense of pride and jealousy, she'd said those awful things to Dream Weaver.
But when it came to actually seeking Dream Weaver out to apologize, King Halo found herself completely lacking the courage.
She could only curse her own cowardice inwardly, hesitating right up until the day of the Satsuki Sho.
And now, even though she'd made it all the way to Nakayama Racecourse, she still couldn't muster the courage to go inside.
"It was all my fault… I can't believe I did something like this right before her race…"
"Foolish."
Facing the dejected King Halo, Admire Vega offered no comfort, only spitting out that one cold word.
King Halo had no energy to argue. She just lowered her head in acknowledgment.
"I know what I did was really—"
"I wasn't talking about that."
King Halo's self-recrimination was cut short as Admire Vega interrupted her again.
Suddenly pulled out of her emotional spiral, King Halo looked up in confusion, her eyes instinctively seeking out Admire Vega's complicated expression.
Admire Vega stayed silent for a moment, as though deciding how much she wanted to say.
Finally, she took a deep breath and spoke.
"I… also have a younger sister."
King Halo nodded blankly. No wonder she'd unconsciously let her feelings about Dream Weaver slip in front of Admire Vega—maybe it was that unspoken kinship between older sisters.
"But… I never got to meet her…"
"My sister… she gave up her life for mine."
Admire Vega's words were like a sharp blade, cutting open the most painful part of her heart and laying it bare before King Halo.
Watching Admire Vega willingly reopen such a deep wound left King Halo at a loss.
She couldn't understand why someone would show their most vulnerable side to a stranger, especially when every word seemed to cause Admire Vega excruciating pain.
"I've always wanted to see her, to tell her I'm sorry."
"Every victory Uma Musume Admire Vega chases is an atonement to my sister."
"Only by becoming the brightest star on the track can I convince myself I've earned the right to stand beside her."
Admire Vega's fists were clenched so tightly her nails dug into her palms, turning her skin pale, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the anguish in her eyes.
Seeing her like this, King Halo fell silent, almost unable to bear it and subtly turning her gaze away.
"Look at me!"
But Admire Vega's sharp command pulled King Halo's eyes back to her.
"I know everything I do is just self-consolation."
"No matter how many titles I win, my sister will never come back."
"But—"
As she continued, Admire Vega's voice grew more intense. She gripped King Halo's shoulders, forcing her to maintain eye contact.
"You're different! Your sister is still alive! She's right here!"
"If you want to apologize, you just have to turn around and walk a few steps to see her in person!"
"How can you let yourself retreat because of something as ridiculous as cowardice? Because you lack courage?"
Admire Vega's words struck King Halo like a thunderclap, making her unconsciously clench her fists.
Under the gloomy, oppressive sky, the emotions flashing in Admire Vega's purple eyes were too complex for King Halo to decipher. After a moment of silence, as though steadying her own pain, Admire Vega spoke softly.
"Don't wait until it's too late to feel regret."
Her tone returned to its earlier calm. She gave King Halo's shoulder a pat and said nothing more, walking past her straight toward Nakayama Racecourse.
Outside the racecourse, under the low-hanging clouds, the humid air felt almost solid. Each breath brought a dull, heavy ache to King Halo's chest.
Admire Vega's words still echoed in her ears. King Halo suddenly realized she wasn't the only one carrying a heavy reason onto the track—everyone here had something they couldn't afford to lose.
She turned and gazed at Nakayama Racecourse, recalling what Dream Weaver had once told her.
"The Uma Musume called Dream Weaver doesn't have the talent you speak of."
"But she will still win the Satsuki Sho!"
"She'll use abilities inferior to other top Uma Musume—"
"and seize the Satsuki Sho title!"
She must have her own weighty reasons not to fail—and all King Halo had seen was her own disappointment, blind to the pressure Dream Weaver was under.
"How foolish of me."
Whispering to herself, King Halo finally stepped forward, heading toward Nakayama Racecourse.
She clenched her fists, letting her nails dig into her palms. Once this race was over, she would stand before her sister not as a top Uma Musume hiding behind a facade, but as an older sister—with her most honest smile, offering that long-overdue "I'm sorry" and "Congratulations."
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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.