Wu You sighed softly. "It really has been a long time… Oguri."
Oguri Cap answered just as quietly. "Mm… it's been a long time, Bro You."
"How's Tamamo doing these days?"
"She's here at the academy too. She keeps saying she's going to find you, Bro You."
"Haha. Sounds like her."
They chatted as they walked—though Oguri Cap still didn't let go of him. If anything, she hugged him tighter.
Oguri Cap kept asking what Wu You had been through all these years, and Wu You patiently answered every question.
No matter how small the story was, if it came from Wu You, Oguri listened like it mattered more than anything in the world.
Until she heard he'd gone blind.
A deep, aching tenderness rose through her, thick enough to press on the air itself.
Sensing the shift, Wu You rubbed her forearm lightly.
"Don't worry, Oguri. Even if I can't see, I can still notice a lot of things."
"…Then why didn't you recognize me at first?"
"Uh…"
Wu You went a bit stiff.
Last night… he genuinely hadn't recognized Oguri Cap.
And with what happened just now, that made it two full times.
To be fair, it wasn't entirely his fault!
It had been so many years—and Oguri had changed so, so much.
Back then, she'd been a pure, blank little airhead, doing nothing but trailing behind him and Tamamo.
Well… the blank vibe hadn't actually weakened much—
But now she also carried a sharp, cool, almost heroic edge. It really did feel like a complete rebirth.
So… it wasn't his fault, right?
"Then why didn't you recognize me at first?" Oguri asked again, her voice low.
"…"
A cold bead of sweat slid down Wu You's back.
"Hey… Bro You…"
Oguri's tone shifted.
"…Why didn't you recognize me at first?"
Was it his imagination?
Her voice sounded… wrong.
"Hey… Bro You…"
"…Why aren't you answering me?"
It wasn't his imagination.
When the arm around him shifted—tightening like a chain meant to knead him fully into Oguri's body—Wu You finally realized the truth.
Oh no.
This is absolutely not a misunderstanding.
"Oguri, I'm sorry! Wait—! I'm going to the Chairwoman's office! If you squeeze any harder, something's going to pop out—hohohohohohohoho—!"
Unfortunately…
Oguri Cap, at that moment, had no mercy.
…
"Welcome! It's been so long, Wu You—eh?!"
Akikawa Yayoi had turned in her chair, ready to deliver a cheerful reunion.
Instead she saw Wu You looking like a man who'd been thoroughly "handled."
"Remarkable… are you alright, Wu You?"
Akikawa Yayoi didn't care about titles or propriety anymore. She hurried over, supported him, and helped him sit on the sofa.
"I'm fine, Chairwoman… I just have a very enthusiastic little sister," Wu You took a deep breath and answered.
There was no way it was that simple.
Oguri had gone all in.
If Oguri's body had been slime, Wu You would have been pressed in and absorbed without a trace.
Though… to be honest, she did have two fairly impressive "slimes" on the front of her.
And they were white.
"Ah… ah… I see." Akikawa Yayoi cleared her throat, then forced her cheerful tone back into place. "Anyway! Welcome back! It really has been a long time, Wu You!"
Wu You smiled. "It really has, Chairwoman."
Back when he'd been a trainer here, it wasn't only Hayakawa Tazuna who looked after him.
The Chairwoman had taken care of him as well.
They'd even had meals together at his place from time to time.
Though somehow, it always ended with them sleeping over at his home…
Akikawa Yayoi stayed quiet for a while.
Looking at Wu You's familiar face pulled up too many old scenes.
It had only been two years, but to her it felt like a century.
And every time her eyes landed on his closed lids and the frailer frame he now carried, she couldn't stop the ache of pity from rising again.
But she also knew it wasn't right to bring it up.
So she opened her folding fan and moved to business.
"Now then, Wu You—since you've returned, you're planning to re-enter the trainer world, correct?"
Wu You gave a small laugh and nodded. "Yes… I still can't let it go."
"High praise! With you back, the entire industry will surely change!"
It wasn't flattery. It was blunt belief.
Akikawa Yayoi had never doubted that Wu You had the power to change things.
"Question: in that case, have you met a Uma Musume you want to work with?"
"Of course. I've met several very talented girls."
As he said it, a particular free-spirited figure rose in his mind.
…
"President! I'm sorry I'm late!"
Tokai Teio burst into the Student Council office.
Seeing Symboli Rudolf and Mr. C.B. sitting on the sofa, Teio rushed over and dropped the documents on the table.
Rudolf watched Teio—who wasn't even out of breath—and sighed, passing her a bottle of water.
"Teio. I've told you many times. Knock before entering. And yes—you are late."
Teio grinned, accepted the bottle, and plopped down onto the sofa with zero restraint, even bouncing twice with a heavy boing.
"Hehe sorry, President I didn't mean to~ I almost ran into… ah."
She cut off mid-sentence.
She'd just realized she'd said something dangerous.
The President had repeatedly warned her not to run in the academy corridors.
And Teio had just—
Sure enough, when she looked back, Symboli Rudolf was staring at her with a severe expression.
It was over.
A lecture was unavoidable.
Teio immediately sat up straight, lowered her head, and put on her best "I'm listening" face—
While also doing the big watery eyes she used for mercy.
It was extremely effective.
Rudolf's sternness faltered.
Beside them, Mr. C.B. sipped her tea and watched the show with obvious amusement.
Seeing the President like this was rare entertainment.
Rudolf rubbed her temple and sighed. "Teio… this habit must be fixed. If something happens, it will be too late."
"I know, President. This time I'll really change! I almost caused a disaster…"
Teio's unusually serious tone made Rudolf curious.
"What exactly happened?"
So Teio recounted everything from the hallway.
"He's already kind of fragile, and he can't see. If I'd smashed into him, I'd regret it for the rest of my life…"
"…I see." Rudolf's voice was calm, but her gaze sharpened. "What was that trainer's name?"
"Oh, he's called—"
Bang!
Before Teio could finish, a heavy crash erupted from the side.
They turned—
Mr. C.B. had already shot out of the Student Council office like a blur.
"Eh?! Ehh?! What's wrong with Senpai?! I've never seen her rush like that!" Teio yelped, clutching Rudolf's skirt and demanding answers.
But Symboli Rudolf simply looked toward the doorway and wore a faint, knowing smile.
"So you said you were only 'kind of paying attention'…"
"You're clearly worried about him."
The kind of worry Mr. C.B. just showed couldn't be explained by "interest" alone.
Mr. C.B…
You finally met him.
"Hey hey President say something to me too"
"…Alright," Rudolf said, exhaling.
-------
My : pat*eon*com/RuneA
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