Stepping out through the small gate, the young girl immediately spotted Sakura Chiyono O standing at the school entrance.
After quickly checking the photo on her phone to confirm this was the person picking her up, Mochizuki approached and asked softly, "Um, did my mom ask you to come get me?"
"Eh? Oh! Yes!"
Chiyono O, still searching for Mochizuki, quickly turned at the voice and noticed the girl standing in front of her.
Seeing Mochizuki, whose height already approached Natural's, Chiyono O briefly glanced at the photo Natural sent her, then nodded warmly.
"Yes, I'm Sakura Chiyono O. You could say I'm…"
"A friend of my mom's, right?"
After thinking briefly, the girl introduced herself clearly.
"A friend of your mom's, huh..."
Observing Chiyono O's horse ears and the gently swishing tail behind her, Mochizuki quietly asked, "Is my mom's place far from here?"
"Hmm...well, not exactly far. It just feels farther because there's no direct route."
After explaining, Chiyono O gently reached out her hand. "Anyway, let's head back. If we leave now, we should make it just in time for dinner."
Her hand remained patiently extended.
Looking at the offered hand, Mochizuki didn't hesitate long before placing her own hand into it.
On their way home, Mochizuki looked up at Chiyono O.
"Chiyono O-san, are you also an Uma Musume?"
"Well, yes—but I've already graduated from the Twinkle Series. Now I can only enter events like the Youth Series or the Dream Cup."
"I see…"
Hearing this, Mochizuki lowered her head slightly, evidently deep in thought.
"What's wrong?" Chiyono O gently asked.
"It's nothing. It's just, today I made a friend who seems really determined to become an Uma Musume."
"Oh, I see…"
Chiyono O didn't interrupt further, quietly waiting for the girl's next words.
After a pause, Mochizuki turned toward her, curiosity shining in her eyes. "Does my mom know a lot of Uma Musume?"
"Hm… I guess you could say so, since your mom runs a restaurant near Tracen Academy," Chiyono O explained thoughtfully. "Uma Musume have huge appetites, so many quickly got acquainted with your mom."
Mochizuki didn't respond. She only lowered her head again, absorbed in thought.
Seeing Mochizuki fall silent, Chiyono O didn't push the conversation, simply holding her hand and continuing their walk home.
...
"Well, this should be just about done."
Checking the stewing beef again, Natural turned her gaze slightly and saw Mr. C.B. and Maruzensky sitting on opposite sides of the dining table.
Looking at them, Natural said nothing further.
She instead glanced around the kitchen.
Several spots still hadn't been thoroughly cleaned.
This wasn't Tamtam's fault; after all, she couldn't have known exactly how the kitchen should be cleaned, so it was natural she missed a few areas.
However, even like this, Natural still planned to reopen the restaurant by the day after tomorrow at the latest.
After being closed for several years, she first needed to reconnect with suppliers.
Thus, reopening today was definitely out of the question.
"Mom, I'm back!"
The clear voice was accompanied by the gentle jingling of the shop's doorbell.
Turning around, Natural saw Mochizuki holding hands with Chiyono O.
"Yayoi-san, isn't the elementary school you picked for Mochizuki a bit too far? It might be dangerous without someone picking her up!" Chiyono O voiced concern—not complaining, but genuinely worried.
"I originally planned to rent a place near the school for Mochizuki, but she insisted on living with me, so…"
The slight helplessness in Natural's voice made Chiyono O realize it couldn't be helped.
After all, reopening the restaurant was already complicated enough. If they lived far apart, considering Japan's commuting times, Natural—who didn't have a car—would end up rushing around constantly.
The complexity of the situation left Chiyono O without a better solution.
She glanced toward Mochizuki, who had already put down her schoolbag and was now sitting beside Maruzensky, and tentatively suggested, "Maybe—"
"I can pick her up!"
Immediately interjecting was Maruzensky.
Indeed, Maruzensky was the only one among them with a driver's license, so it made sense for her to volunteer.
However…
"I can also do it—I don't have classes anyway."
Just as expected, Mr. C.B. quickly offered herself as well.
Their small debate didn't distract Natural. She merely checked the stew once more and spoke calmly, "Both of you—whoever's free can pick her up. Chiyono O still has schoolwork, but you two only have races occasionally. So whoever has time, just do it."
No need to settle on a single person.
Natural trusted neither of them would let anything happen to Mochizuki.
"Dinner's almost ready, so go wash your hands first."
As she spoke, Natural glanced toward Mochizuki again. "Oh, Mochizuki, your luggage is upstairs. Be sure to unpack it yourself later."
"Okay!"
With Mochizuki's eager reply, Natural gently dropped the last few pieces of orange peel into the pot.
...
Not long afterward, dinner was finally ready.
Natural carefully placed the large pot of freshly stewed soup onto the table. "Now, let's see…"
Glancing at Mochizuki's phone lying casually on the table, Natural briefly hesitated.
She knew her daughter's phone password, but she'd never considered invading her privacy—it wouldn't be appropriate.
Instead, Natural quickly returned to the kitchen, took out a few plates, and waited as the others gradually returned from washing their hands.
Maruzensky and Mr. C.B. were the first ones back.
But the moment they appeared, both immediately noticed the familiar pot of stew on the table.
They stared quietly at the pot for a few seconds, then quickly took their seats.
"It looks exactly like the meat stew gaijiaofan you made years ago," Maruzensky murmured nostalgically.
"It's actually not quite the same, but you probably won't notice the difference until you taste it," Natural replied with a faint smile.
Mr. C.B. perked up at those words. "Oh, so you've improved it? Now I really want to try it!"
"You'll find out once you taste it~"
---
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