...
The shops in the area were jacking up prices on the spot; Lucian finally understood why no street vendors were allowed around here.
Unable to resist the little one's cravings, Lucian had no choice but to play the role of the big sucker for a while.
He bought a small bag of snacks and carried it in his hand before sitting back down on the bench.
Lucian popped a lollipop into the little one's mouth. "Is it yummy?"
"Super yummy!"
"Then how is Hanaka going to thank Onii-chan?"
Ines Hanakami took out the lollipop, leaned close to Lucian's face, and gave it a big smooch.
Lucian placed the little horse girl on his lap, kneading and pinching her chubby little short legs. He could completely wrap one hand around them—he just couldn't get enough.
She was like a little trinket, a miniature version of Ines Fujin figurine—pretty fun to play with.
"Onii-chan, why do you keep pinching Hanaka's little legs and patting Hanaka's head?" Ines Hanakami's big adorable eyes blinked and sparkled.
"Is it not allowed?" Lucian's movements came to a sudden stop.
"If it's Onii-chan..." She narrowed her curved eyes into crescents, took both of Lucian's hands, and placed them firmly on her own head. "It's okay~"
"What does Hanaka want to play next?"
"The spinning cars~ I want to play together with Onii-chan!"
"Okay, after we finish this one, Onii-chan will take Hanaka to play bumper cars."
"Okay~" Ines Hanakami's voice was sweetly soft. She took the lollipop out of her mouth. "Does Onii-chan want to taste the candy?"
"No thanks, you eat it yourself." Both of Lucian's hands were busy playing with her plump little legs; he had no free hand left to eat anything.
At that moment, a row of roller coasters roared past overhead.
...
Strong winds howled. From the perspective of those sitting in the roller coaster, it felt like the next second they would shoot straight into the clouds.
"So awesome! McQueen! Can you hear me talking?" Tokai Teio's ponytail stood up like a burning little flame.
She turned her head to look at Mejiro McQueen beside her, whose hair was whipping around like seaweed in the wind, and burst into giggles.
Mejiro McQueen's forehead was already covered in a dark shadow; the discomfort of weightlessness left her unable to even respond to Tokai Teio.
The elegance of the Mejiro family was long gone.
But as the roller coaster gradually slowed, Mejiro McQueen finally caught her breath. "Tei... Teio..."
She still wanted to act tough for a couple of sentences, but after uttering just two words, her stomach gave a little flip.
" McQueen! Look, it's coming!" Tokai Teio excitedly looked ahead.
Mejiro McQueen looked too—turns out the slowdown wasn't because the ride was ending, but the calm before the storm. The roller coaster slowly climbed toward the highest point.
"No... no, I want to go back..." Mejiro McQueen said in panic.
" McQueen, look over here—commemorative photo."
Tokai Teio had already turned on her professional action camera before getting on the ride.
She had recorded the entire process just now.
...
Haru Urara and Rice Shower sat in the same row.
"Mimi, it's so high... I'm a little scared." Haru Urara felt the rising height—nervous yet excited.
"Mm, Mimi?" She turned her head and saw Rice Shower looking down, seemingly spacing out again. "What are you thinking about?"
Only then did Haru Urara realize she hadn't heard Rice Shower scream at all during the ride.
"Ah, nothing." Rice Shower shook her head.
She turned again to look at that tiny speck on the ground below.
How come that little sister is so intimate with Onii-sama...
...
"Suzuka, the Trainer really likes children, huh." Special Week caught a glimpse of Lucian feeding Ines Hanakami.
"Or maybe he just likes little horse girls."
"Ahaha..." Special Week scratched her cheek.
Likes little horse girls? If I have a baby in the future, Trainer-san would definitely be a very gentle daddy.
But what if the baby takes away all of Daddy's love?
"Spe-chan, Spe-chan? What are you thinking about?"
"Da... Daddy." Still not fully snapped out of it, Special Week accidentally let some of her inner thoughts slip out.
Silence Suzuka froze. "Eh?"
"Eh, no no no no—not... that's not it, Suzuka... I was just thinking..."
Before she could even think up an explanation, the roller coaster that had reached the peak suddenly plunged downward.
The horse girls' minds went completely blank; any thoughts could only chase after them later.
...
After one round, the horse girls came down from the roller coaster one after another.
Some looked perfectly fine, striding forward energetically, able to run and jump.
Others leaned on the railings, faces pale, looking listless and wilted.
"Doto, McQueen, you two okay? Sit down and rest for a bit." Lucian set the little horse girl on the ground and handed each of them their own thermos cups.
"Trainer, it feels like there's a little kitty spinning circles on my head. (;′⌒`)"
"Trainer, I'm fine... just need a short rest." Mejiro McQueen adjusted her breathing.
"Trainer, I got photos of McQueen on the roller coaster—wanna see?" Tokai Teio waved her action camera.
Mejiro McQueen's head instantly stopped spinning at those words. She ran over to snatch it. "Teio! Delete those photos right now!"
Watching the two run off into the distance, Lucian could only shake his head with a smile. "Doto, drink some water."
"Thanks, Trainer." Meisho Doto took a big gulp. "Saved. o(￣︶￣)o"
"You're so weak yet you love playing, huh, Doto." Lucian laughed. "Do you know what you and a newly paved road have in common?"
Meisho Doto: "Is President telling Trainer another lame joke again? ╯︿╰"
"Hey, you actually called the jokes from Rudolf classmate lame? Even Air Groove wouldn't dare say that—you're done for!" Lucian shook his phone. "I'm texting her right now."
"Nooo desu (＞人＜;)" Meisho Doto grabbed Lucian's wrist. "Trainer, that's not what I meant... don't tattle to the President... ╥﹏╥..."
"Eh, hand." Lucian pointed at her hand.
Meisho Doto obediently let go.
"Apologize."
"I'm sorry, President, I shouldn't have called your jokes lame. ＜(＿＿)＞"
"That's to me." Lucian held back his laughter.
"I'm sorry, Trainer, I shouldn't have..." Meisho Doto paused slightly. "Trainer, how should I apologize to you?"
"Hmm... looks like you don't even know what you did wrong. Then just compliment the Trainer a few times."
Meisho Doto lifted her gaze and seriously looked Lucian over for a moment.
She realized... the Trainer is actually... really handsome...
If the Trainer would wear cat-ear headbands, stick on some meow whiskers and a tail...
Pressed against the muscular body of Cat-sama, and if he could raise his paw and go "meow—" at her... that would be perfect.
Meisho Doto's imagination grew richer and richer; her face visibly flushed with a rosy glow.
Seeing her silent for so long, Lucian thought she was sulking again. "Doto, I was just kiddi—"
Meisho Doto suddenly blurted: "Trainer... kawaii desu..."
"Hm?"
Before Lucian could react, Meisho Doto had already run off holding her thermos cup.
"This little klutz, seriously..."
...