I love Rice-chan.
I recognized her at a glance — Rice Shower.
That little you is as delicate and beautiful as a fairy…
Ah, Rice Shower, the Rice Shower I loved.
My feelings spill over, my heart leaks out.
I met you again — ah, thank you, thank you.
Hello with an opening poem. I'm Shirono Lily.
Little Rice-chan is so cute… of course, every Rice-chan is cute no matter what!
When I suddenly burst into tears and, like some suspicious weirdo, blurted out "I was born to meet you," Rice-chan just smiled and accepted me. She truly is an angel.
…Maybe because I became a little girl, or because I'm an Uma Musume now, but lately emotions just pop out all the time.
Since then we've read picture books together, dressed up dolls, and played lots.
Today we're watching a race on TV together. I'm so excited!
---
On the TV, a small white-and-black Uma Musume watches the race.
The Uma Musume the little girls cheer for isn't exactly a strong contender. At the big events she doesn't place, and the impression is she can't quite win. Still, the girls are captivated by her eyes — the way she never gives up in any race.
Today, too, she runs, aiming for victory.
"Go—!!"
She gets swallowed up in the pack again.
"Go! Don't lose!"
Her form disappears from view.
"○○○○○○○○○—!!"
Tears well up as the thought "is she going to lose again today?" creeps in.
The race goes on, even though you can't see her.
—No, it's not over yet.
Rounding the final corner, she seizes a sliver of opportunity and bursts forward.
"!! Go, go! Break away!!"
Unleashing a finish like lightning, she storms across the line.
The stadium erupts in cheers.
"!!! I won—!!!"
She roared, pouring every emotion—joy, victory—into that shout.
The little girls, swept up by her, give voiceless cries of their own.
The white girl's parents watch the jubilant kids with warm smiles.
"Rice-chan! Rice-chan! That was amazing!!"
"Yeah! When she got buried in the pack, Rice thought she was done… But then she shot out and—boom—and she finished like that! It was so cool!!"
"Yeah! Really cool!! …Hey, Rice-chan?"
"What is it, Lily-chan?"
Rice-chan, sensing the sudden quiet from the little girl, looks at her curiously.
Her cheeks flushed from excitement, her eyes sparkling like jewels. My heart skips a beat as I wait for the girl's words.
"…I want to run in races with you, Rice-chan!"
"…Huh?"
With an innocent, unsullied smile, the girl speaks her wish.
"Watching races is exciting, right? So I want to run too!"
Taking Rice-chan's hand and bringing her face so close their lips almost touch, the girl says:
"With the Rice-chan I love!"
Her joyful declaration sets my heart, body, and soul rejoicing.
"I want to run together! Rice does too!"
The girl beams and, pouring out her emotions, hugs Rice-chan.
"Rice-chan, I love you!!"
"Rice loves you too, Lily-chan!"
They rub cheeks and giggle; their parents exchange wry smiles at how close the two are.
Looking at the clock, they realize it's time to go home.
"Rice-chan, it's almost time for your mother to pick you up."
"What!? Is it already that time…?"
The black-haired girl droops her ears and murmurs sadly. Seeing this, the white girl tugs her sleeve.
When the black-haired girl turns with tears in her eyes, the white girl pulls her to her chest and gently pats her like a mother soothing a child.
"Even if we say goodbye today, we'll see each other tomorrow. So it's okay."
"...I'll still be lonely. Aren't you lonely, Lily-chan?"
"I am. Very lonely… Just thinking we might not meet makes me feel like crying."
Their voices wobble. Hoping to reassure her, Rice-chan pours her heart into her words.
"I'll meet you tomorrow, and the next day, and the next after that. From now on, we'll always be together… Even if Rice says 'stop,' I won't stop coming to see you."
"I would never say I don't want to meet Lily-chan!"
They face each other and smile.
To confirm the warmth between them, they hug tightly and close their eyes.
"So Rice-chan won't be lonely." "So Lily-chan won't be lonely."
The parents think it's a bit over the top, exchange a look, and smile faintly.
May the happiness of these little girls last a long time — that's what the adults quietly hope.
---
I said bye-bye to Rice-chan.
Now I'm eating the delicious meal Mom made.
I miss her… I want to see Rice-chan…
No, no — I'm a strong girl, I'll be fine. …I wish tomorrow would hurry up and come.
Oh right, Rice-chan and I are about three years apart. When I enter Tracen Academy, we'll be in middle and high school respectively.
Rice-chan debuts in high school, so I'll probably debut as her peer. No — I will, definitely.
…This is fate. The gods are telling me to race fiercely with Rice-chan.
Rice-chan is a long-distance specialist, a stayer, so I hope I'm a stayer too while I chew my food.
Oh! Distance aptitude is apparently inherited, so I should ask Mom what distance she was good at!
Smart me! I'm clever! Heh heh — you can praise me, you know?
"Mom! What distance were you good at when you ran races?"
"Oh my, Lily-chan. What brought this on all of a sudden?"
"You can tell what distance you're suited for? Lily is so smart."
Dad praised me! Heh heh!
"Well, there are sprints, short-distance, mile, middle-distance, and long-distance! And the surface is divided into turf and dirt!"
"That's right, Lily-chan! Such a clever girl. Just as I thought — my sweet Lily!"
"Hehe… So, I heard aptitude is similar to parents', so I wondered what you were like, Mom?"
Mom murmurs and speaks nostalgically.
"Mom was good at mile on dirt."
…What did you say?
"…You can't run on turf?"
"I wasn't good at it. …Short distances were tolerable, but middle distances and especially long distances were bad. …Lily-chan?"
…Now isn't the time to panic, calm down, Shirono Lily…
"Lily-chan? …What's wrong?"
"…Maybe I'm just frozen because I thought I might not be able to run on turf? Famous races are on turf, after all…"
"Don't worry, Lily-chan! That depends on the person, okay?"
…Well, that's fine!
"Even if I can't run on turf, I'll train until I can, so it'll be fine!"
"...Lily-chan!"
"Lily is such a good kid…"
This isn't a game. I'll train until I can run on any distance and surface! Let's do our best — okay!
---
The next day, to try running with Rice-chan, we went to a park for Uma Musume.
Mom came along today.
The park has turf and dirt areas, so you can roughly gauge a child Uma Musume's aptitude. Classic Uma Musume world!
"Don't overdo it when you run, okay?"
""Yes!""
Rice-chan has run here before and offers to show me an example. As expected of Rice-chan — dependable!
We start on the dirt. I'm excited!
"I can move smoothly! I'm invincible!"
It seems I'm like Mom and good on dirt.
"Ugh… it's hard to run…"
Rice-chan is wobbling — so cute.
Next we try running on turf together. It's my first time on turf!
"Uhn… it's hard to run…"
Apparently my turf aptitude is low… But I'll overcome it.
"Watch me, Lily-chan! This is how you run on turf!"
Rice-chan trots merrily — she's got turf aptitude! Playful Rice-chan is adorable!
I won't be left behind. Unleash Uma Musume power!!!
I load my hindquarters and boom! — a blast sounds and the turf beneath my feet bursts. Startled, Mom and Rice-chan rush over.
"Lily-chan!? That was a loud noise — are you hurt? Are you okay?"
Rice-chan is flustered — so cute.
"I'm fine, Mom. Look — I'm invincible!"
Mom sits me down and checks my hind legs.
"…Visually and to the touch there's nothing abnormal. …Hmm."
Worried by Mom's hum, I squeeze Rice-chan's hand.
"Let's go to the hospital and get checked. Don't play amateur doctor."
Rice-chan asks Mom anxiously.
"Lily-chan, did you get hurt?"
"No, I think I'm just very strong. So don't worry."
"If we go to the hospital, Rice will come too!"
"That would be reassuring. Alright, Lily, let's go to the hospital for now."
"...Okay."
---
At the hospital the doctor examines me and gives the results.
"Well… after checking, it turns out she has an absurdly enormous strength. Also, her bones are extraordinarily sturdy."
"Is there anything wrong?"
"No, not really. Quite the opposite — she's extraordinarily healthy. I could use a body like this."
Mom breathes a sigh of relief. Lily-chan really is a strong kid!
"The muscle fibers in this child are finer, tougher, and simply more numerous than normal. Let's call it a superhuman constitution. And to avoid being crushed by those muscles, her bones are tens of times harder than ordinary. With this power, you might expect daily life to involve breaking things… But have you experienced anything like that?"
"No, she's a gentle, good child."
Lily-chan really is a good kid! I love you, Mom!
The doctor laughs heartily — a good laugh. Praise him!
After a round of laughs the doctor talks with Mom.
I'll leave the complicated stuff to Mom. I'm smart enough to know when to delegate.
Rice-chan, beside me, relaxes her ears and smiles, and speaks to me.
"I'm so glad… Lily-chan isn't hurt, I'm really glad…"
Rice-chan is kind. Hehe, that makes me happy.
"Thanks for worrying about me, Rice-chan."
"You're my favorite friend! You're welcome!"
Feeling happy, I rest my head on Rice-chan's shoulder and ask with puppy eyes:
"...Will you run with me again?"
She intertwines her fingers with mine and answers while we lean our faces together.
"Of course. …We didn't run much today, but Rice had so much fun."
"I had so much fun too! When I'm with Rice-chan, my chest feels warm. Hehe… Is this what 'happiness' feels like…?"
Rice-chan throws her head back smiling and hugs me.
"Me too! Me too! Happiness is so warm…!"
Rice-chan is so warm. While I think that, Mom smiles and speaks up.
"Hehe… you two are so close, I'm a little jealous. The doctor visit is done — want to go eat sweets after this?"
"Sweets!?"
"I want chocolate cake!"
"Ca-can Rice have some too?"
"Of course. But keep it secret from Dad, okay?"
"Okay, Rice, I want a mont blanc!"
"You bet! Leave it to Mom!"
Yay! I love Mom!!
We say goodbye to the doctor and leave the hospital.
Sweets! Sweets! I'm so happy!
"Munch munch—!"
Rice-chan mimics me, "Munch munch!" too.
Mom chuckles as she watches us.
Since meeting Rice-chan, every day is fun.
I hope these happy days continue forever. That's what Lily-chan thought.