"Alright, then I'll leave it to you… Daijin, don't come back to the dorm so late again, understood?"
After speaking with the Ritto Dormitory Dorm Manager, Ms. Hayakawa didn't forget to remind Daijin one last time.
However, Daijin remained silent, her head bowed. Once the Dorm Manager opened the door, she walked straight in, and Ms. Hayakawa could only watch her retreating back, a hint of worry on her face.
A person slowly walked out of the dorm building, and Ms. Hayakawa immediately saw Kazuo leaning against the railing nearby.
From his appearance, it seemed he had been waiting there since earlier.
Seeing Ms. Hayakawa emerge, Kazuo quickly straightened up, "Um… is everything handled?"
"Asama-kun… why haven't you gone back yet?"
"Hmm… well, I just feel like I caused Ms. Hayakawa trouble…"
Kazuo scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed. In that situation just now, if it hadn't been for Ms. Hayakawa, he might not have been able to persuade Daijin on his own.
Ms. Hayakawa, for some reason, gave him a somewhat resentful glare, then let out a soft sigh, as if she couldn't do anything about him.
"More importantly, Asama-kun, is your leg alright?"
"Oh, it's fine. It's much better now."
"…Please don't be so reckless in the future."
"Yes, yes…"
After that, the two fell into a strange atmosphere. In the deserted academy late at night, with no one else around, a lone man and woman together—
It would be a miracle if something *didn't* happen.
"Is Ms. Hayakawa done with her work?"
Kazuo remembered her saying earlier that she occasionally handled night patrol duties, but it was already this late. Aside from people like Daijin, there shouldn't be anyone else in the academy.
Ms. Hayakawa looked down at her wristwatch upon hearing this: "Hmm… It's already past ten… It's so late, today's patrol work is over."
"Why don't we go together?"
"Shall we go back together?"
The two spoke almost at the same time, but after speaking, they both couldn't help but pause.
A moment later, they couldn't help but smile at each other.
Everything was unsaid, and under the moonlight, the two walked side by side on the way back to the dormitory.
The silvery moonlight sprinkled on the slope, the fragrance of cherry blossoms filled the air, and the streetlights stretched their shadows long. Looking out from the academy's slope, one could see the entire campus in its U-shaped, horseshoe-like form. Unlike its solemn and majestic appearance during the day, under the hazy fragrance of the night, the entire academy was so tranquil that it made one feel comfortable.
Of course, perhaps it was because there was a gentle and intellectual person beside him, Kazuo's mood couldn't help but improve significantly.
"The academy looks very beautiful from this view, doesn't it?"
Hayakawa seemed to have noticed Kazuo looking into the distance. She smiled, tilted her head, and asked softly.
"Hmm… it's really nice. If you think about it, the vast Racecourse during the day was already so stunning just to look at, but at night, there's a sense of rural tranquility."
For Kazuo, who lived on a small island in the Seto Inland Sea and had to take a 6 AM bus to high school in town every day, the academy, located outside the city, offered a more reassuring tranquility compared to a bustling, sleepless city like Ikebukuro.
"That's right, the academy is located in a relatively remote area because a lot of land is needed for construction; however, precisely because of this, the academy is even more pure."
Hayakawa walked with light steps on the slope, seemingly in a very good mood.
"I can tell, Hayakawa-san really loves Tracen Academy…"
Seeing her so joyful, Kazuo couldn't help but exclaim.
"Of course! I am truly happy from the bottom of my heart that Chairwoman Akikawa allows me to be in charge of the academy's affairs…"
However, to Kazuo's surprise, Hayakawa suddenly changed the subject: "But, Asama-kun, don't think you can get away with this method, okay?"
"Uh—"
Stumped, Kazuo chuckled, "Hayakawa-san, what are you talking about…"
"You know, you can't do this again in the future, understand?"
Hayakawa glanced at him but didn't elaborate, only hinting at it very subtly.
To this, Kazuo could only nod in agreement, fumbling.
"By the way, I wanted to ask… regarding Narita-san, there shouldn't be any problems, right?"
Although he said that, Kazuo was still a little worried.
"Logically speaking, Narita Daijin leaving without permission, staying at the academy late at night, and even having a dispute with a staff member… should, in principle, be reported and reviewed for potential disciplinary action."
Seeing Kazuo looking a little anxious,
Hayakawa, uncharacteristically, showed a sly smile.
"But—after all, as Asama-kun said, then I can only choose to trust Asama-kun."
"This time it was just a verbal warning, after all, Daijin has been late twice recently. It counts as a criticism and education; there will be no disciplinary action."
Knowing that Hayakawa was deliberately trying to scare him with a dramatic pause, Kazuo's heart, which had been hanging, finally settled.
But even so, Kazuo still honestly lowered his head: "I'm sorry. I really troubled you."
"Don't let it happen again."
The two tacitly treated this matter as a small interlude, but compared to this, Hayakawa clearly had something more important on her mind.
"Speaking of which, Asama-kun, why did you do that?"
"Eh… what do you mean?"
"Narita Daijin treated you like that, so why did you do what you did?"
In her eyes, Kazuo's actions were actually somewhat difficult to understand.
"Hmm… how should I put it… I just did it subconsciously, I guess? I feel that students are still just children who haven't grown up, right? After all, it's not really an excessive thing, and I believe she only did it unintentionally." Kazuo paused slightly as he spoke, then couldn't help but smile and say, "Besides, I'm not even a formal employee of the academy yet, am I? I don't need to care too much about these rules and regulations."
"Asama-kun…"
"Well… how to say it, I can feel confusion and anxiety from Daijin… she must be lost too, Uma Musume at the academy also have their own difficulties and pressures. If they don't release them properly, they will eventually hurt themselves. Although it might be meddling, I still want to do something for them…"
"It's a bit overreaching, after all, I'm not a Trainer yet…"
Feeling that saying this was really a bit embarrassing, Kazuo quickly let out a dry laugh, trying to change the subject.
"…No, you won't," Hayakawa's eyes, as bright as a sea of stars, stared at Kazuo, "In my opinion, Asama-kun is a very gentle person. The hearts of Uma Musume are very delicate and fragile. Someone like Asama-kun, who can notice others' feelings, will definitely become a very remarkable Trainer."
"Eh…"
At these words, Kazuo couldn't help but blush, and he awkwardly averted his gaze.
Hayakawa, however, seemed to have thought of something.
"Since I helped Asama-kun, as a return, please allow me to make one request."
With light steps, like a dancing fairy, she skipped and stopped in front of Kazuo, then slowly turned around under the starry, moonlit night.
A graceful beauty—
"Next weekend, would you like to go to the Racecourse to watch a race together?"
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