Chapter 195: Representing the Family to Face You
From the entrance of the dance hall to the stage, and then dancing amid a galaxy-like sea of multicolored glow sticks, Kitasan Black's mind had been occupied with what had happened earlier.
Not only the matter of "family" mentioned by Satono Crown, but also everything she herself had experienced up to now.
She had already won quite a few championships.
At the moment she stood on the highest podium—flowers, applause, cheers, shouts… All the glory converged upon the self standing at the top, as if the entire world were cheering for her.
But now, after experiencing defeat and conflict, witnessing gloom and injuries, and seeing the different expressions worn by so many racers before and after races, her state of mind had quietly begun to change.
She thought of Satono Rasen. In every race, that opponent was also full of fighting spirit, giving it her all.
Yet the results of competition were always cruel, someone always had to taste the bitterness of defeat.
Just like this St. Lite Kinen. She herself stood in the position of champion, leading the victory dance on the winner's stage.
But Satono Rasen could only stand below the podium before, and now could only be behind her.
She must feel gloomy, full of regret. Kitasan Black felt that her opponent would surely think that way.
Perhaps it wasn't just a thought.
As she came onto the stage, she couldn't help but pay attention to Rasen's expression.
Compared to her impression, Satono Rasen no longer had the dazed disappointment she showed at the Spring Stakes, nor the sadness from when she changed trainers. She had become much more composed. Noticing Kitasan Black's gaze, she merely nodded calmly and even greeted her aloud.
Yet what flickered through Kitasan Black's memory were the expressions of other racers, both in the past and today.
Some lowered their heads silently after the race, their dejection written all over their faces.
Some rallied their spirits, likely preparing to try again in the next race.
Some forced a smile, trying to hide the sorrow in their hearts.
And then there were Ribbon Victory and Angel Wing.
Even if their past grievances had been resolved, even if they smiled at her today, they would still meet again at the Kikuka Sho.
The championship, she could not possibly give it up.
Which meant there would still be wins and losses, still disappointment, sadness, and gloom.
So, just as Teio-senpai and many other senpai had said, the Twinkle Series… was truly cruel.
As the song ended and she led the bow to the tens of thousands of spectators, that was what she thought.
After leaving the stage and heading backstage, she subconsciously looked around, wanting to find the Satono sisters.
…They weren't there? Had they gone to the stands?
Unable to find the people she wanted to see, she thought for a moment and prepared to head toward the audience seating.
However, out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly noticed that Satono Rasen, who had also come backstage, seemed a little strange.
She still looked composed, as if shaped by many experiences, but her brows were slightly furrowed, and her eyes revealed an indescribably complex emotion.
There was disappointment there, but it didn't seem to be because of the race, rather, it felt like worry and distress over something far more complicated.
There was even a faint hint of resentment mixed in.
Confident in her ability to sense others' emotions, Kitasan Black hesitated for a moment, then walked toward Satono Rasen.
"Rasen-san, I know this might be abrupt, but… do you have something on your mind? Or is it about Crow-chan and the others…?"
Her eyes were full of concern, and her voice was especially gentle, as if she were afraid of disturbing Satono Rasen in her current state.
Startled slightly, Satono Rasen looked at Kitasan Black, blinked a few times, then quickly shook her head.
"…It's nothing. Thank you for your concern, Kitasan-san."
"…I see."
Sensing that Satono Rasen didn't really want to talk about it, Kitasan Black hesitated for a moment:
"Alright then. If you have something on your mind… you can talk to your trainer, or to the seniors as well. That's what I do—lots of things can be worked out that way!"
In the end, she instinctively used her usual enthusiastic tone.
"…Mm. Thank you."
Sensing Kitasan Black's genuine concern, Satono Rasen unconsciously let the corner of her mouth lift a little, her tone becoming more sincere as well.
When Kitasan Black smiled, nodded, and turned to take a few steps away, Satono Rasen suddenly clenched her teeth and stepped forward.
"Hey—"
"Ah…?" Kitasan Black turned back in confusion, her eyes full of puzzlement.
Satono Rasen took a deep breath, as if gathering her courage, and spoke slowly.
"Although she said she'd tell you herself later, but…"
She paused, then continued:
"In short, Crown has withdrawn from the Kikuka Sho."
"This time, the one representing the Satono family to face you… will be me alone."
...
Early October. Autumn had already deepened.
That morning, gentle sunlight like a thin veil spread evenly over the Kyoto branch campus of the academy.
Along the paths between buildings and beside the school walkways, many leaves had already turned golden. A breeze passed through, carrying a few leaves onto the red walls and white tiles of the retro-style architecture.
At the edge of the training field, Makoto held the tablet he never left behind, pointing toward the track ahead.
"…Compared to Nakayama Racecourse, Kyoto's slopes are what you need to pay the most attention to."
"At Nakayama, the entire slope is on the left side of the stands. The uphill part is a bit steeper, but the top is relatively flat, so you can recover stamina fairly well."
"Kyoto is the opposite, it's on the right side. The start is already on the slope; as soon as the gates open, it's a continuous climb. The downhill afterward is just as long and lasts just as long."
"And you'll pass this slope twice. The second time, you start climbing from about one-third into the opposite straight. That's even more taxing than the first time…"
Makoto's explanation was meticulous, covering every key terrain feature of Kyoto Racecourse, the approach to each turn, stamina distribution on the straights, and how to handle the slope sections.
His words were filled with careful consideration for the upcoming race.
As usual, Kitasan Black held a carrot-shaped ballpoint pen, rapidly jotting notes into her small notebook. Yet her thoughts drifted uncontrollably back to the St. Lite Kinen two weeks earlier.
Ever since hearing from Satono Rasen that Satono Crown had withdrawn from the Kikuka Sho, the waves in her heart had never truly settled.
The shock hit her like a raging flood, leaving her no time to think things through. That very night, she went to find her friend.
Standing in front of her, pouring out her shock and questions, she clearly saw Satono Crown's eyes widen.
But only for an instant. A flicker of realization passed through those familiar eyes, and they quickly regained their liveliness.
"Rasen… I told her I'd explain it myself…"
She muttered with a mix of reproach and helplessness, then smiled.
"Yeah, I…"
As she spoke, she lowered her head slightly, long eyelashes casting a faint shadow over her eyes.
"I can't run in the Kikuka Sho anymore."
"The family… after some discussion, decided that my long-distance ability… isn't enough to handle the Kikuka Sho."
Although she lifted her head as she said this, trying hard to pull her lips into what looked like a bright smile, the expression seemed wrapped in an invisible layer of sadness, forced and fragile.
"But—but it's okay, really, Kita-chan. I…"
"Look—see? I've already signed up for the Autumn Tenno Sho!"
"How about that, huh, huh? Pretty impressive, right?"
"I'm going to step into the senior division ahead of you and go head-to-head with those powerful senpai among the older racers."
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[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/155512898?collection=1617249
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