Following Air Groove, the two arrived at a relatively quiet corner.
"Sorry."
After steadying herself, Air Groove spoke.
"I didn't mean to eavesdrop. It's just that when I entered the trainer's office, I accidentally overheard your conversation."
Then, Air Groove hesitated slightly.
Under the girl's gaze, she finally spoke again.
"Actually, before coming here, I'd been considering whether or not to entrust this matter to you."
After all, for a trainee, the burden might be too heavy.
"But from what I heard, you've already made up your mind, haven't you?" Air Groove asked.
So that's what this was about.
"Yeah, pretty much… that's right," the girl replied.
"Was it your own choice?"
"It was my choice."
The girl nodded.
Air Groove's eyes flickered faintly.
"Generally, for work managed by the student council, we prioritize the wishes of both the trainer and the intern. If neither has any objections, then the matter is settled."
Within those blue eyes, the girl's face was reflected.
"I'll report this to the acting president. You'll receive a notice afterward. You haven't met Trainer Kiyokawa Nishi yet, have you?"
"We've met once before."
"That makes things easier. Once you get the notice, just come to the student council. And then…"
Air Groove's voice paused for a moment.
"Sorry," she said again.
"What's wrong? I already said I volunteered."
"No, it's not about that…"
Air Groove's gaze shifted away.
"During your exam, my tone was a bit harsh. It might be late now, but… I still want to apologize for how I acted back then."
She had been regretting it ever since.
Even while celebrating Narita Brian's discharge from the hospital, she was still thinking about it.
As she spoke, Air Groove bowed her head to the girl.
"Harsh? I didn't feel that at all. If anything, you gave off a serious and responsible impression back then."
"I'm aware of my own attitude back then…"
"Tell you what, Air Groove. If you think you were being harsh, there's really no need to worry. After all—"
The girl's tone was gentle.
"No matter what you do, I could never bring myself to dislike you."
The words flowed smoothly into her ears.
Air Groove's heart gave a sudden, fierce thump.
'Why would she say that?'
She really wanted to ask.
But she was also somewhat afraid—afraid of what answer she might get if she asked.
Giving her head a slight shake, Air Groove replied with some hesitation:
"I see… It's good that you didn't mind. And about the student council matter…"
She took a deep breath.
"If you hadn't agreed, there really would have been quite a lot of trouble. So, please allow me to thank you here on behalf of the student council."
Air Groove started to bend slightly at the waist, but was stopped as the girl placed her hands on Air Groove's shoulders.
"I'm just doing what I can."
The girl spoke.
Whether it was for the student council or any other issue.
"If my involvement can help you, no matter how difficult it is, I'll spare no effort."
So there's no need to thank me.
This is what I should do.
Listening to her words, Air Groove's emotions began to churn violently.
The guilt she had felt toward the girl earlier, and the gratitude she felt now—two completely different emotions collided incessantly in her heart.
This caused Air Groove's feelings to surge unprecedentedly.
Before she had called out the girl's name, she had tried to calm herself once.
Through the door, Air Groove had heard the girl say—
that she wasn't doing this for the exchange student, nor for the student council, but for her.
At that moment, an indescribable emotion welled up in Air Groove's heart.
Touched, excited, happy…
It didn't seem to be any of those.
But one thing was certain.
This was the first time Air Groove had truly felt that someone was willing to put in such sincere effort for her sake.
Those words hadn't come from a trainer who had been with her for a long time.
Nor from those juniors or classmates she had helped, or who had helped her.
Those words had come precisely from an intern who had been with them for less than a month, yet had already deeply entered their lives.
In that moment, Air Groove suddenly understood.
Why the usually calm Narita Brian had acted so boldly at the celebration party.
Why Toujou Hana always spoke of the girl in such glowing terms.
She was like a gem.
Dull and unremarkable when no light shone upon her.
But once a certain beam of light fell upon the girl, she would radiate with dazzling, brilliant color.
Why had I only noticed this treasure of a girl now?
Air Groove couldn't help but doubt herself.
Perhaps…
'Had my light not fallen upon you until today?'
"Air Groove?"
Seeing the "Empress" staring blankly, the girl asked, puzzled.
Air Groove snapped back to reality.
"Sorry, I—"
"No more apologies."
The girl pressed a finger to Air Groove's lips, cutting her off.
"You called me over with such a serious face, I thought something was really wrong."
The girl's lips curved into a smile.
"But it turned out to be all kinds of apologies. Air Groove, you haven't done anything wrong. Instead of apologizing, there are other things more fitting for you to say."
Feeling the soft touch on her lips, Air Groove's heart gave another violent thump.
"You're right. Constantly apologizing really doesn't suit my character."
As the girl moved her finger away, Air Groove spoke slowly.
She couldn't help but avoid the girl's gaze.
"…Was my expression really that serious when I called you over?"
"To describe it, it was like a mother about to scold a child."
"Heh."
Air Groove let out a light laugh.
"Mother… that reminds me of my own mother. She often taught me with strictness, but she was a very gentle person."
Air Groove touched her own face.
"I try to keep my expression as soft as possible too, but most of the time I come off as cold and aloof."
Maybe she had inherited that trait from her mother.
When she looked at people, she always gave the mistaken impression of being severe.
She wanted to change it, but couldn't.
"There's no need to force a change."
The girl said.
"Just like with your mother, Air Groove—you know that even if she's strict, she's a very gentle person at heart."
It's the same for us.
The girl took Air Groove's hand in hers.
"Beneath that serious exterior of yours lies a passionate heart willing to devote itself. That's why, no matter what you do, it's impossible to dislike you."
The gentle voice flowed into her ears.
A rush of blood seemed to surge upward; Air Groove's head instantly felt dizzy and fuzzy.
The other's posture was almost like that of a knight pledging fealty to a princess's hand.
No!
What on earth am I thinking?!
Shaking her head vigorously, Air Groove quickly banished those scenes from too many stage dramas from her mind.
She felt she was starting to become strange.
Her heart was pumping wave after wave of heat.
An unbearable sense of restlessness stirred within her.
Opening her mouth, Air Groove took deep breaths, trying to calm her agitated emotions.
Finally, after the girl let go of her hand, her condition improved somewhat.
As if changing the subject, Air Groove quickly asked: "Right, I also heard outside the office that soon, you'll be qualified to become a trainer?"
"The exact timing isn't clear yet, but my trainer said I do have the ability to stand on my own now."
Air Groove's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
"Do you have any thoughts? About what you want to do after becoming a trainer."
"Not at the moment."
After all, being a trainer was too conspicuous; she wasn't planning on it yet.
"None…"
Air Groove repeated quietly.
Unbelievably, she felt an urge—she didn't want the girl to become a trainer.
Once the girl became a trainer, it would mean leaving their team.
Air Groove didn't want to see that happen.
She knew this was an obstacle to the girl's future.
But it was her own selfish desire.
"So I've decided not to become a trainer for now."
Just as Air Groove was hesitating over how to influence the girl's thoughts, her words made Air Groove's eyes widen.
"Thinking about it carefully, my skills aren't really solid yet. Becoming a trainer would only hold back any Uma Musume I'd be responsible for. It's better to stay by my trainer's side and learn steadily."
And besides, the girl smiled.
"I'm worried about all of you too. If I left, who would take care of you all?"
Boom—!
It was as if something exploded in her heart.
The girl didn't realize.
Air Groove didn't realize either.
After saying those last words, she found herself tightly embraced by Air Groove.
Like a large hugging pillow.
Clasped firmly between the arms of Air Groove, who was half a head taller.
Then, holding the girl's shoulders, Air Groove slowly pulled away.
Like a wind-up wooden doll.
Dragging her stiff body, Air Groove turned around.
And immediately after—
Clack-clack-clack—
She quickly ran off.
Leaving the girl standing there in confusion.
--+--
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.