Dragging her exhausted body, like a piece of wood burnt down to its last ember.
The moment classes ended, Agnes Tachyon returned to the research lab—or more accurately, to the room opposite the lab, which belonged to Manhattan Cafe.
Though Tachyon would have preferred the owner's permission, she simply didn't have the strength left.
She sank slowly into the sofa.
The soft backrest absorbed her unbearable aches like a sponge.
That was close…
She had almost died on the training field.
After two days and nights of intense research, and less than four hours of rest, she'd been dragged out by Symboli Rudolf for morning runs.
They kept up a punishing pace, covering who-knows-how-many kilometers.
It only stopped when the school bell rang, calling them to those dull, tedious lectures.
The twin torments of mind and body had nearly crushed Tachyon completely.
She wasn't exactly a model citizen, but surely she didn't deserve divine punishment—suffering like this was like being trapped in an endless hell!
Fortunately, she had pulled through in the end.
All thanks to the resilient physique of an Uma Musume.
Indeed.
Push them to their limits, and an Uma Musume could unleash astonishing potential.
Thinking this, Tachyon tilted her head back, fully surrendering to the softness.
Now, even a brief moment of rest felt incredibly precious to her.
Time ticked slowly by.
Tachyon felt herself growing drowsy.
Just then—
Click—
The door opened, and a figure stepped inside.
Lifting heavy eyelids, Tachyon saw a girl in school uniform, with dark hair.
"Cafe…" she murmured.
"Tachyon, what are you doing here?"
Manhattan Cafe looked surprised, seeing Tachyon slumped on the sofa like a wilted plant.
She resembled a patient just recovering from a serious illness.
"I need… a little rest," Tachyon replied softly.
"I've been up late researching lately."
"Research… that sounds tough."
Cafe nodded in understanding.
On a rare break, of course she'd seize every moment.
"By the way, Cafe, where were you over the weekend? I couldn't find you."
Tachyon had actually wanted to talk to her during a gap in her experiments—about that 'friend' of hers—but Yukino Bijin had said she'd left early.
"The weekend… well, the weekend…"
As she spoke those words, an unmistakable smile spread across Cafe's face.
Not only that, Tachyon noticed Cafe's skin had a dewy glow, soft and smooth like a baby's.
"Are you wearing makeup?" Tachyon couldn't help asking.
"You noticed? I wore a little yesterday, but I've wiped it off today."
"Yesterday?"
"Mhm."
A look of pure happiness settled on Cafe's face.
"I went on a date with 'Friend', and…"
Her voice brimmed with joy.
"We even spent the night out together."
Tick.
The clock hand jumped forward.
Tachyon's ears twitched, as if she hadn't quite caught what Cafe said.
Or maybe she had heard it, but even her genius brain needed a moment to process it.
"...You went on a date?"
After a few seconds, Tachyon finally spoke, sounding dazed.
"Mhm."
"And then you slept outside?"
"Mhm."
Tachyon slowly sat up.
All her drowsiness vanished in an instant.
Only now did she realize—Cafe's radiant complexion wasn't due to any cosmetic.
It was the result of vigorous collagen production, making her skin smooth and glowing.
And the hormone that stimulates collagen secretion…
It hit Tachyon immediately.
Estrogen.
"Did you do it?"
The question left Tachyon's lips without a second thought.
It was an intensely private matter.
So private that getting slapped in response wouldn't have been out of line.
But Tachyon asked anyway.
For no other reason than this: her research needed that data.
"Do… what?"
Manhattan Cafe repeated, puzzled.
It might not have reached the level of physical intimacy, but still—even between two girls, touching could generate enough excitement to send synapses firing.
Tachyon wanted to know if they had progressed to a physical relationship.
"Well, I'm not sure what you mean…"
Clearly, Cafe didn't grasp Tachyon's implied meaning.
"What I mean is, while you were sleeping, didn't anything… special happen?"
"If you're asking whether something happened, then yes, it did."
Cafe admitted openly, "'Friend' held me all night."
"What kind of holding?"
Physical, or sexual?
"Just… hugging."
Cafe felt like Tachyon was hinting at something deeper, but she couldn't quite follow.
"There was only one single room left, so 'Friend' and I spent the night together."
Cafe's voice grew excited.
"I thought 'Friend' might insist on sleeping separately, but… she actually said she'd sleep with me."
At that moment, Cafe's eyes had grown misty.
"She apologized to me many times."
Before Cafe knew it, they were holding each other tightly.
"I never imagined a day like that could happen…"
That night, a warm sensation seeped through their clothes and into Cafe's chest.
It felt as if the world had stopped turning just for them.
Cafe felt as though her own time had frozen in that moment.
"You know, Tachyon, at that point, I couldn't even tell reality from dreams anymore."
Guided purely by instinct, she greedily, blissfully, savored every second.
Watching the dark-haired girl cradle her own face, radiating youthful infatuation, Tachyon pinched the bridge of her tired eyes.
"So, you're saying you just… held each other and slept?"
"You don't understand the feeling—it was like my whole mind was floating in the sky. I could even see myself hugging 'Friend' from above…"
Listening to Cafe's description, Tachyon's gaze gradually turned flat.
Seriously?
She'd thought they'd already crossed into physical intimacy, done this and that—but in the end, they'd just slept.
"Did she take her clothes off?" Tachyon asked.
"…"
An awkward silence filled the air.
A few seconds later.
"No."
Cafe's voice fell.
"'Friend' slept with clothes on… She said it would let us feel closer."
So she didn't undress.
It seemed even Cafe's 'friend' was careful about bodily boundaries.
Thinking this, Tachyon slowly reached for the vial in her pocket.
With this, the two could make physical contact.
If it was for Cafe, surely the other would willingly take part in the experiment.
But just as Tachyon was about to pull it out, her hand suddenly stilled.
Cafe's feelings for her 'friend' weren't just simple friendship or dependency…
It was clear that Cafe's emotions carried a strong undercurrent of desire.
So much so that merely hugging had stirred a physical reaction in her.
If not for the inability to touch, Cafe might have already crossed that final line.
And in Tachyon's hand lay the key to unlocking that boundary.
Once she handed over the drug, their relationship would change completely.
And change meant the unknown.
True, Tachyon was under strict restrictions now.
But her research was progressing steadily, step by step.
Protect the subject, make contact, study the subject, draw conclusions.
Everything was going according to plan.
If Cafe's actions damaged the subject's integrity before the research was complete…
It would be very bad for the experiment.
Tachyon wasn't against their relationship.
But before they reached that stage, she had to figure out the mystery of this 'ghost.'
After turning it over in her mind, Tachyon slowly released her grip.
It was still too early.
She needed to wait a while longer.
At least until she understood how the other could rely on that body to achieve such incredible running speed—then she could hand it over.
Maybe by then, her research topic would shift to: What chemical reactions occur when a human and a ghost become intimate?
The thought alone was thrilling enough.
"Feeling closer just means she really cares about you."
"Exactly." Cafe nodded firmly.
"'Friend' has always held me in her heart, but…"
Manhattan Cafe shook her head.
"It's not enough," she said.
Knock knock knock—
"Is Manhattan Cafe there? The student council has some business with Manhattan Cafe."
"Yes, I'm here."
Responding to the voice outside, Manhattan Cafe stood up.
Someday, I'll make 'Friend' think only of me…
Tachyon thought she heard something like that in reply.
Really.
Watching Cafe leave the room, Tachyon couldn't help but think:
Not giving her the drug was definitely the right decision.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 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.