The sky was deepening into dusk, a blush-red sun lingering at the horizon with its final afterglow before shyly sinking beneath the sea. The bustling city of night was once again cloaked in a starry expanse.
But tonight felt a little different.
On the stage, spotlights flickered, illuminating only a small area at the very front. Two beams fell upon the figures standing there—one with long, silvery-blue hair, the other almost entirely white.
Below the stage, thousands upon thousands of twinkling lights shimmered like a starry sky descended to earth.
Sha Tin Racecourse could hold over eighty thousand spectators for a race—so just how many were here now, watching this live performance? And how many more were tuned in on TVs, computers, and phones?
Once again, Platinum found herself thinking she'd never seen so many people in one place. She was genuinely terrified.
Now that the adrenaline had faded, she could hardly believe she had run the entire race under the gaze of so many.
And now they wanted her to sing on stage?
So...
Golden Sixty, already on stage, threw an arm around Platinum's shoulders.
"As you can all see, today's champion wasn't me."
Golden Sixty showed no trace of stage fright—she'd faced crowds like this many times before.
"By rights, today's Winner's Stage shouldn't feature me as the main focus either."
"So I'm the special guest!" Golden Sixty laughed heartily, her eyes sweeping across the audience. The stage lights were so dazzling she couldn't make out individual faces, only countless pinpricks of light. "As you can see, the two of us share a pretty special connection."
"How about a few words from today's champion?"
She gave Platinum a pat on the shoulder and nudged her toward the microphone.
A cold sweat instantly broke out on Platinum's brow. They hadn't discussed this part during rehearsal—weren't they supposed to go straight into the song?
Then she caught the mischievous, teasing glint hidden in Golden Sixty's eyes. This girl... was she holding a grudge because Platinum had snatched the victory from her?
Leap of Faith was right—her older sister really did hold a petty grudge!
"I... uh..." Platinum stammered.
"This race... um..."
Facing who-knows-how-many pairs of eyes, countless stares, and countless lenses, Platinum slowly let out a breath.
"I never thought about winning the championship. Not even when I stepped onto the track."
"Even now, I still feel that way."
And probably would in the future, too.
Finding her anchor, winning the Yayoi Sho—that was still her primary goal.
And all of it was to escape her damned illness.
She wasn't a pure Uma Musume through and through, but a complete amateur, a half-hearted newcomer who relied on raw talent to get by—a downright fraud.
After seeing Leap of Faith, Fuji Kyoji, and so many others, Platinum understood this clearly.
She didn't particularly care. With Death itself chasing at her heels, who had time to dwell on such things?
But not caring didn't mean she felt no guilt. Winning the championship without any real love for the sport felt like snatching a cherished treasure away from others.
"But once I'm on the track, I'm willing to give my all to chase, to pursue."
The last time she had run with such exhilarating freedom was during that run with Agnes Tachyon. And Golden Sixty was an opponent even greater than Agnes Tachyon.
"Sixty here is the finest rival I've ever faced."
Platinum offered Golden Sixty a small smile. Hearing this, Golden Sixty jolted, staring at her in disbelief before scratching her head and fidgeting, almost like she was wringing her hands.
What did Platinum just call her?
Yep, Leap of Faith was officially obsolete.
"Though as a senior, she's still just a tiny bit lacking." Platinum raised her hand, pinching her thumb and forefinger close together.
"You little—!" Golden Sixty laughed and gave Platinum a playful shove.
"I'm honored. To have won this race... and I'm happy."
In the life that lay ahead of her, this same conflict would likely surface again and again, tangling with her endlessly.
After all, changing who you are is no easy task.
But everything she experienced in this race would probably stay with Platinum for a lifetime.
During this event, she had met so many people and heard so many of their stories.
Though she didn't realize it yet, every experience she was gathering now would become the nourishment for her growth.
Platinum... just a little, just a tiny bit...
Was starting to believe, even if only faintly, that running might not just be a means to an end.
That running could be a genuine joy, a real pleasure, a true passion that lived in everyone's hearts.
Maybe, just maybe, she was starting to feel a little bit of that passion herself.
The stage lights gradually dimmed. But the figures of Platinum and Golden Sixty seemed to grow even more distinct.
A deep, resonant piano melody began to swell, its rich and tranquil notes rippling across the stage and spreading out toward the endless crowd, gently enveloping everyone.
It was like a calm, vast ocean.
The lingering notes were soft and soothing, like the last sigh of a breeze fading into the air, leaving only a faint tremor behind.
"Today I, in the cold night, watched snow drift past,"
"With a chilled heart, wandering far from home."
Riding the tail of the piano's echo, Platinum parted her trembling lips.
She was still afraid, her voice quivering slightly. But the piano's melody seemed to possess a magical quality, gently soothing her heart.
"Chasing through wind and rain, in fog losing all trace,"
"Under sky so vast, sea so wide, you and I,"
"Might ever change—"
"—But who hasn't changed?"
Golden Sixty's voice joined right after Platinum's. Then, from the darkness behind the stage, a soft chorus emerged, following the echo of Golden Sixty's lines.
Platinum glanced back, then met Golden Sixty's eyes. Golden Sixty brushed the bangs from her forehead and slung a guitar over her shoulder.
The piano was now joined by the guitar. Golden Sixty took two steps back, ceding the center of the stage to Platinum.
She retreated into the shadows. But then, in the very next instant, every light on the stage blazed to life, illuminating the vast platform as bright as day.
Sham sat behind the drum kit, wearing her signature leather jacket.
Urban Sea was at the grand piano, waving at Platinum during a brief lull in the music. She had been the one playing the accompaniment earlier.
They'd actually managed to haul a grand piano onto the stage!
Agnes Digital stood to the side, a bass guitar slung across her shoulders.
Leap of Faith moved back to stand near Agnes Digital, the sound of her guitar gradually weaving into the mix.
So the "special guest" wasn't just Golden Sixty alone.
It was an entire band.
The ghosts of a bygone era had returned to the stage, and this time, their voices would once again reach across the world.
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T/N: I know this is supposed to be heartfelt, but i lowkey can't help but get secondhand embarrassment
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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.