Not too far from them, King and Goodbye Halo finally reached King's R32.
The green Skyline sat quietly beneath the evening light, its bodywork still carrying the subtle traces of the long day. The Kyoseki Group A-inspired green paint seemed almost darker now beneath the fading sunlight, while the RAYS Nissan LMGT1 400R Nismo wheels caught the remaining light whenever King moved around the car.
King walked toward the rear of the Skyline.
She reached into her pocket and retrieved the key.
Sliding it into the trunk keyhole, she twisted it.
Click.
The lock released.
King lifted the trunk lid and placed her duffle bag inside, making sure it was settled properly so it would not slide around during the drive.
She then lowered the trunk lid.
Thunk.
King pulled the key from the lock and slipped it back into her pocket.
For a moment, she simply stood there.
Then she looked toward her mother.
"Mother."
Goodbye Halo turned toward her.
"King?"
King walked around the rear of the R32 and stopped beside the trunk.
She rested one arm over the top of the rear spoiler.
There was a small pause.
"Since you were honest with me..." King began.
Goodbye watched her carefully.
"And, of course, I'm very thankful for that."
King gently patted the top of the spoiler once.
"I'll be honest with you too."
Goodbye slightly tilted her head.
"What about, King-chan?"
King looked down for a moment.
Then she looked back at her mother.
"Remember how I said yesterday that..."
She hesitated.
"Well..."
Her ears lowered slightly.
"I never wanted to see you again?"
Goodbye's expression softened.
She sighed and placed a hand over her chest.
"King..."
King sighed as well.
"It was a lie."
Goodbye stared at her.
King continued before her mother could respond.
"I said it because I was angry. Really angry."
She looked toward the ground.
"I was hurt. I felt like everything I had done, everything I'd worked for, everything I'd accomplished... none of it mattered to you."
Her fingers tightened slightly against the edge of the spoiler.
"So when I said I didn't want to see you again..."
She looked at Goodbye.
"I didn't actually mean it."
Goodbye slowly walked toward her.
She stopped beside the R32 and gently rested an arm over the top of the spoiler as well.
"I understand."
King looked at her.
"You do?"
Goodbye nodded.
"You were having a moment where you had no control over your emotions."
She paused.
"And, honestly... I understand why."
King gave a small chuckle.
"Just because I said I lied doesn't mean some of the points I made that day weren't true."
Goodbye raised a hand and waved it dismissively.
"No, no."
She shook her head.
"I know."
Her expression became more serious.
"Most of what you said was true."
King nodded.
Neither of them spoke for several seconds.
The sounds of the parking area filled the silence around them.
Cars starting.
Doors closing.
Distant conversations.
The occasional footsteps of people heading toward the hotel.
It was strangely peaceful.
After everything that had happened over the past two days, neither of them seemed particularly eager to break that peace.
King eventually looked back at the R32.
"And there's another thing I have to say."
Goodbye looked at her.
King turned toward her.
"Remember on the way to the mall, when I said my car was back in Tokyo?"
Goodbye nodded.
"Getting serviced?"
"Yes."
King smiled slightly.
"I lied."
Goodbye blinked.
King turned toward the R32.
She placed her palm against the spoiler.
"This..."
She looked back at her mother.
"...is really my car."
Goodbye's eyes widened slightly.
"It is?"
King nodded.
"It is."
Goodbye looked at the R32 again.
For a moment, she simply stared at it.
Then she looked back at King.
"You actually own this Skyline?"
King smiled.
"Yes."
Goodbye walked a few steps around the rear of the car, taking in the R32 properly.
She had seen it before.
But apparently, she had never really looked at it.
The wide, squared-off body.
The large rear wing.
The four round taillights.
The aggressive stance.
The green paint.
The wheels.
The subtle signs that this wasn't merely some restored classic Skyline.
This was a machine that had been built to be driven.
Hard.
"When you were racing as an Umamusume..." King began.
Goodbye turned back toward her.
"I presume you were at some of the JTCC races back then."
Goodbye smiled softly.
"Of course."
King nodded.
"Watching cars like these dominate the track."
Goodbye's smile became more nostalgic.
"I remember it like yesterday."
She looked at the R32 again.
"The Calsonic team were the ones to beat that year."
King smiled.
"Thought so."
Goodbye gave a small laugh.
"You think I wouldn't remember?"
King shrugged.
"I wasn't sure."
Goodbye lightly bumped her shoulder.
"I may have retired from racing, King-chan, but I haven't forgotten everything."
King chuckled.
"Fair enough."
She looked toward the R32.
"And I'm pretty sure you're aware of the Nikko Kyoseki Team, right?"
Goodbye nodded.
"That's right."
She walked away from the R32 slightly and looked toward the rear quarter.
King followed.
Goodbye slowly examined the car.
The green paint.
The aggressive wheels.
The stance.
The purposeful modifications.
It didn't look like a show car.
It looked like something built with a very specific purpose in mind.
King folded her arms.
"I loosely based my Skyline on that race car."
Goodbye's ears perked up.
"You did?"
King nodded.
"Suspension, engine, setup."
She pointed toward different areas of the car as she explained.
"I wanted the feeling of a Group A Skyline without turning the thing into a completely impractical race car."
Goodbye nodded thoughtfully.
"That makes sense."
"Although I've made quite a few changes."
King walked toward the driver's side.
"For starters, the color."
She pointed at the green bodywork.
"The green is based on the shade of green from my racing outfit."
Goodbye smiled.
"I noticed that."
King continued.
"Then I had a half cage installed."
Goodbye glanced through the windows.
"But I wanted to keep the sound deadening, carpeting and the road-legal equipment."
King paused.
"And even the air conditioning."
Goodbye chuckled.
"Well, that is important."
King laughed.
"Exactly!"
She opened the driver's door.
"And I'm not giving that up."
Goodbye smiled.
"Even after everything you've done to this car?"
"Especially after everything I've done to this car."
King closed the door again.
She walked around to the rear and looked at the Skyline.
Goodbye joined her.
There was a moment of silence.
Then Goodbye asked:
"Well..."
She looked at King.
"How is the car, anyway?"
King's expression immediately changed.
A little pride entered her face.
"You heard about the Hakone Turnpike Hillclimb Event, right?"
Goodbye nodded.
"I heard about it in the news, yes."
King smirked.
She pointed her thumb toward herself.
"I won that event."
Goodbye smiled.
"That's wonderful."
King's smirk widened.
"Back to back."
Goodbye blinked.
"Back to back?"
King nodded proudly.
"Back to back."
Goodbye's expression brightened.
She brought her hands together and clapped softly.
"That's great, King!"
King smiled.
"Thanks, Mother."
Goodbye looked at the R32.
Then she looked at King.
"Pretty sure you got a great cash prize for that, huh?"
King's cheeks immediately turned slightly pink.
She gently bumped her mother on the shoulder.
"Shush!"
Goodbye laughed.
"You did, didn't you?"
"I'm not telling you!"
"You don't have to. Your face already told me."
"Mother!"
Goodbye laughed harder.
King tried to maintain her usual dignified expression, but the smile forming at the corner of her mouth betrayed her.
"Honestly..."
Goodbye shook her head.
"You really are still the same little girl sometimes."
King's smile softened.
"Don't call me little."
"You're my daughter."
"And?"
"And that means you're always going to be my little girl."
King rolled her eyes.
"First-rate little girl, perhaps."
Goodbye laughed.
"Of course."
King looked at her.
"At least you got that part right."
Goodbye's smile faded slightly.
Not because she was upset.
Because she understood what King meant.
"Yes," she said quietly.
"I do."
King looked at her mother.
For a moment, neither said anything.
There was no anger.
No argument.
No accusation.
Just the two of them standing beside an old Skyline in a hotel parking area after a day neither of them would ever forget.
Goodbye slowly reached out and placed her hand on the roof of the R32.
"It's a beautiful car."
King smiled.
"Thank you."
"And it's very... you."
King's ears perked slightly.
"Really?"
Goodbye nodded.
"Yes."
She looked over the car again.
"It's aggressive."
King raised an eyebrow.
"Mother."
"It's loud."
"Well..."
King glanced toward the exhaust.
"Usually."
Goodbye chuckled.
"But it's also carefully put together."
She looked at King.
"There's a purpose behind everything."
King became quiet.
Goodbye continued.
"That sounds like you."
King's expression softened.
"Thanks."
Goodbye smiled.
"I'm glad you told me."
King nodded.
"So am I."
The two stood there for another moment.
Then King glanced at the driver's door.
"We should probably get back to the hotel."
Goodbye nodded.
"Yes."
King walked to the right-hand driver's door.
She opened it and slid into the Bride bucket seat.
Her duffle bag was already safely stored in the trunk.
Goodbye walked around the car and opened the passenger door.
She carefully lowered herself into the seat.
King glanced over.
"You comfortable?"
Goodbye adjusted herself.
"Yes."
King smiled.
"Good."
She reached for the door and pulled it shut.
Thunk.
Goodbye closed her own door.
The parking area suddenly became quieter.
King looked around the cabin.
Her hands rested briefly on the Nardi steering wheel.
The familiar interior.
The half roll cage behind them.
The Bride bucket seat beneath her.
The four-point harness mounted beside her.
The faint smell of the interior that had become so familiar over countless drives.
This was her car.
Her Skyline.
Her place.
King inserted the key into the ignition.
She paused.
Then looked toward her mother.
"Ready?"
Goodbye nodded.
"Ready."
King turned the key.
The RB26DETT cranked.
Rrr-r-r-r-r...
Then—
BRRRAAAP!
The engine fired.
The familiar straight-six settled into a deep, mechanical idle.
Goodbye smiled.
King looked ahead through the windshield.
She reached down, pressed the clutch pedal fully to the floor, and moved the five-speed manual transmission into first gear.
She released the handbrake.
Then she gently brought the clutch up.
The R32 began moving.
Slowly.
Smoothly.
They rolled out of the parking space and toward the exit.
Goodbye looked through the windshield.
"So..."
King glanced at her.
"Yes?"
"You really did build this car around yourself."
King smiled.
"I told you."
Goodbye looked toward her daughter.
"You certainly did."
King's hands remained steady on the steering wheel.
For the first time in a long time, there was no tension between them.
No shouting.
No accusations.
No walls.
Just a mother and daughter.
Riding home together.
As they left the parking area, King shifted into second.
The Skyline rolled smoothly onto the road.
The city around them continued its evening rhythm.
Kyoto's streets were still busy, but the frantic atmosphere surrounding the Shuka Sho had begun to fade.
The race was over.
The Triple Tiara was over.
The Twinkle Series was over.
And yet, somehow, King felt as though something had only just begun.
She glanced at her mother.
Goodbye was looking out the passenger-side window.
King smiled faintly.
"Mother."
"Hm?"
"Thank you."
Goodbye turned toward her.
"For what?"
King looked back toward the road.
"For listening."
Goodbye smiled.
"You're welcome, King-chan."
The R32 continued through Kyoto's evening streets.
Its RB26 hummed beneath the hood.
The Skyline carried them back toward The Mitsui Kyoto.
And for once, King wasn't driving away from something.
She was driving home.
Time flew by.
The afternoon gradually faded into evening, and the skies above Kyoto slowly changed.
The warm daylight that had filled the city began to soften as the sun descended toward the horizon. The windows of The Mitsui Kyoto reflected the changing colors of the sky, while the hotel itself became busier as guests returned from their outings and prepared for the evening.
Inside King Halo's hotel room, everything was quiet.
Goodbye Halo stood in front of the mirror.
She carefully applied the finishing touches to her makeup, checking her reflection from different angles before finally deciding that she was satisfied.
She lowered the powder puff back into its casing.
For a moment, she simply stared at herself.
Her expression gradually became more serious.
The reflection looking back at her wasn't the former racing star.
It wasn't the woman who had spent years telling herself that she knew what was best for her daughter.
It was simply Goodbye Halo.
A mother.
She slowly closed her eyes.
Then she took a deep breath.
In.
And slowly...
Out.
Her shoulders relaxed slightly.
"Don't cry again, Goodbye..."
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"You cried enough."
She opened her eyes and looked at herself again.
"Just..."
She paused.
"Be there for your daughter."
She placed both hands against the edge of the vanity.
"That's all you have to do."
Her eyes began to sting.
But she blinked the feeling away.
Not tonight.
Tonight wasn't about crying.
Tonight was about being there.
For King.
A moment later—
Click.
The bathroom door opened.
Goodbye immediately pushed herself away from the table and turned toward it.
King Halo stepped out.
Goodbye's eyes widened.
King stopped a few steps from the bathroom entrance.
She placed one arm against her hip.
Then she shifted her weight onto one leg.
Her short brown hair framed her face differently now, exposing more of her features than before.
She raised her chin slightly.
Then posed.
"What do you think, Mother?"
King smiled confidently.
"Is this a first-rate dress or what?"
Goodbye simply stared.
For several seconds, she didn't say anything.
King blinked.
"Mother?"
Goodbye slowly approached her.
The dress was elegant without being overly extravagant.
A light dark-green dress covered King's figure, with small gold accents that caught the warm hotel lighting whenever she moved.
Over it was a black coat decorated with gold accents, giving the outfit a refined appearance while still maintaining the confident image that suited King Halo.
Her shoes were perhaps the most striking part.
Black-to-dark-green gradient stiletto heels completed the ensemble, the darker color near the heel gradually blending toward green.
King had clearly put thought into every detail.
She wasn't wearing her racing outfit.
She wasn't wearing casual clothes.
This was something special.
Something she had been waiting for.
Goodbye finally smiled.
"King."
She reached forward and took both of King's hands.
"You look fantastic."
King's confident expression softened.
"Thank you."
She looked down at herself.
Her fingers gently brushed the fabric of the dress.
"I've been looking forward to wearing this dress since I won my second Tiara race."
Goodbye smiled.
"I remember."
King looked up.
"You do?"
"Of course."
Goodbye squeezed her hands gently.
"You talked about it quite a bit."
King's ears twitched.
"I did not."
Goodbye laughed softly.
"You did."
King looked away.
"Perhaps... a little."
"A little?"
Goodbye smiled.
"You spent an entire evening talking about what you wanted to wear when the Triple Tiara was complete."
King's cheeks became slightly warm.
"Well..."
She looked at herself again.
"I had to plan ahead."
"Naturally."
King turned slightly toward the mirror.
She looked at her reflection again.
For the first time, she wasn't looking at herself as a racer.
There was no starting gate.
No track.
No stopwatch.
No odds.
No cameras waiting for her.
Just a young woman dressed for an evening that represented the end of one chapter of her life.
King slowly ran her fingers through her short hair.
She paused.
"It's still strange."
Goodbye looked at her.
"Your hair?"
King nodded.
"I've had long hair for so long."
She turned her head slightly.
"But..."
She smiled.
"I think I like it."
Goodbye smiled.
"It suits you."
King looked at her through the mirror.
"Really?"
"Really."
Goodbye stepped closer.
"It makes you look more mature."
King raised an eyebrow.
"More mature?"
"Yes."
Goodbye smiled.
"Though you're still my daughter."
King sighed.
"There it is again."
Goodbye laughed.
King turned around.
"Well?"
Goodbye looked at her.
King extended both arms slightly.
"Anything else?"
Goodbye considered her for a moment.
"Your shoes."
King looked down.
"What about them?"
"They're going to be uncomfortable if you stand too long."
King gave her mother a small, knowing smile.
"I'll manage."
Goodbye nodded.
"I know."
She paused.
"You're King Halo."
King smiled.
"Exactly."
Goodbye's smile became warmer.
"First rate as ever."
King's ears perked.
She looked genuinely pleased.
"Now that's what I wanted to hear."
The two women laughed softly.
For a brief moment, everything felt normal.
No argument.
No painful memories.
No resentment.
Just a mother and daughter preparing to attend a formal dinner together.
Goodbye glanced toward the clock.
"We should probably head down soon."
King nodded.
"Yes."
She reached for her small handbag and checked that everything she needed was inside.
Phone.
Hotel keycard.
Wallet.
She closed it.
Then she looked at her mother.
"Ready?"
Goodbye took one last look at herself in the mirror.
She adjusted a small part of her hair.
Then she turned toward King.
"Ready."
King smiled.
She walked toward the door.
Goodbye followed.
Before leaving, King stopped.
She looked back at the room.
For some reason, she felt the need to take one final look.
The room had been her temporary home during the most important weekend of her racing career.
She had arrived here as the reigning Japanese Oaks winner.
She had stood in this room wondering about her future.
She had prepared for the Shuka Sho.
She had argued with her mother.
She had nearly destroyed their relationship.
She had won the Triple Tiara.
She had announced her retirement from the Twinkle Series.
And now she was standing here with her mother beside her.
Everything had changed.
King quietly smiled.
Then she stepped into the hallway.
Goodbye closed the door behind them.
The lock clicked.
They walked side by side toward the elevators.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then King glanced sideways.
"Mother."
"Hm?"
"You know..."
King smiled.
"I think tonight might actually be fun."
Goodbye smiled back.
"I think so too."
The elevator doors opened.
They stepped inside.
King pressed the button for the lobby.
The doors slowly closed.
As the elevator began descending, King looked at her reflection in the polished metal doors.
The short hair.
The dark-green dress.
The gold accents.
The confident expression.
She looked different.
Not like the King Halo who had walked into the starting gate that morning.
Not like the King Halo who had crossed the finish line forty-five lengths ahead of the field.
And not like the King Halo who had been screaming at her mother the day before.
She looked like someone standing at the beginning of something new.
Goodbye quietly looked at her daughter.
King noticed.
"What?"
Goodbye smiled.
"Nothing."
King narrowed her eyes.
"You're staring."
"I'm allowed to."
"I'm your daughter, not a museum exhibit."
Goodbye laughed.
"Fair enough."
The elevator continued downward.
Ding.
The doors opened.
The lobby awaited them.
And together, King Halo and Goodbye Halo stepped out.
Neither of them knew exactly what the evening would bring.
There were still apologies to make.
Trust to rebuild.
Memories to heal.
And a future that neither of them could completely predict.
But tonight, they would sit at the same table.
Together.
And for King Halo, after everything that had happened, that was already enough.
That Night.
At the Funatsuru Kyoto Kamogawa Resort, the atmosphere was already alive.
The resort was packed to capacity.
URA officials occupied several sections of the banquet hall, including staff members from Kyoto Race Course who had spent the entire day working behind the scenes.
But the majority of the guests were Umamusume.
The entire banquet hall had been reserved for the occasion.
Tables and chairs had been arranged across the expansive room, with elegant decorations placed around the walls and along the stage.
A small stage had been prepared at the front of the hall for the evening's awards.
Long buffet tables stretched along one side of the room, covered with trays of food.
There were Japanese dishes.
Western dishes.
Desserts.
Fresh vegetables.
Rice.
Meat.
Seafood.
And enough food to feed the enormous gathering.
Servers moved between the tables, carrying drinks and checking that everything was prepared before the formal portion of the evening began.
The room buzzed with conversation.
Laughter could be heard from almost every corner.
At one of the tables, Oguri Cap, Tamamo Cross, and Super Creek were chatting.
Although "chatting" might have been a generous description.
Oguri's attention was almost entirely focused on the food.
Tamamo Cross noticed.
She slowly turned toward her.
"Can you seriously not hold back your hunger, Oguri?"
Oguri placed a hand over her stomach.
"It's tempting."
Tamamo stared at her.
"We haven't even started dinner yet!"
"I know."
Oguri looked toward the buffet.
"That's the problem."
Super Creek chuckled.
"Don't worry, Oguri-chan."
She smiled.
"We have to wait for our star of the show to arrive, Creek and Tama-chan."
Tamamo sighed.
"She's right."
Oguri reluctantly nodded.
"I can wait."
Tamamo narrowed her eyes.
"For how long?"
Oguri looked toward the buffet again.
"...Not very long."
Tamamo groaned.
"Oguri!"
Super Creek laughed.
The atmosphere around them was light.
But there was an unmistakable sense that everyone was waiting for someone.
King Halo.
The champion of the day.
The first Umamusume to complete what had already become known throughout Tracen as the Double Slam.
Just a table behind them, Agnes Tachyon, Manhattan Cafe, Dantsu Flame, and Jungle Pocket were seated together.
Tachyon, however, was barely paying attention to the conversation.
Her tablet was in her hands.
Her fingers tapped rapidly across the screen.
Pokke's eyes narrowed.
She slowly leaned toward Cafe.
"I..."
She glanced toward Tachyon.
"Is she actually studying King's stamina?"
Manhattan Cafe glanced at Tachyon's tablet.
She studied the graphs and notes for a moment.
Then nodded.
"She sure is."
Dantsu Flame chuckled, covering part of her mouth with one hand.
"No surprise there."
She glanced toward Cafe.
"Tachyon-san is always busy with research."
Pokke sighed and slumped slightly into her chair.
"True."
Tachyon suddenly looked up.
"Of course I'm researching her."
Pokke stared.
"You've been doing that all day?"
"Naturally."
Tachyon tapped the screen.
"King's performance today was extraordinary."
Cafe quietly added:
"Forty-five lengths."
Tachyon's eyes practically lit up.
"Exactly."
Pokke shook her head.
"She's already won. Can't you let her have one evening without turning her into a science experiment?"
Tachyon smiled.
"I can do both."
Pokke groaned.
"That's not reassuring."
Cafe quietly sipped her drink.
"She'll probably continue during dinner."
Dantsu Flame laughed.
"I wouldn't expect anything less."
Near the stage, Symboli Rudolf was speaking with one of the event coordinators.
"I'd like to have King's mother hand the Triple Tiara trophy to King, if that's okay."
The coordinator blinked.
"Are you sure, Miss Rudolf?"
Rudolf nodded.
"I'm certain."
The coordinator wrote something down on her clipboard.
"Okay, Rudolf. I'll have it arranged."
Rudolf nodded.
"Thank you."
The coordinator turned away.
Rudolf watched her for a moment.
Then she quietly sighed.
"It's just to help Goodbye gain people's trust."
The coordinator stopped and looked back.
Rudolf continued.
"After everything that happened, she needs to prove that she has changed."
The coordinator nodded.
"Understood."
She began walking away again.
Rudolf suddenly raised her voice.
"Wait."
The coordinator stopped.
She looked back.
"Rudolf?"
Rudolf hesitated.
"Don't let anybody else know."
The coordinator blinked.
"About the arrangement?"
"Yes."
Rudolf's expression became serious.
"Especially anyone from the press or media."
The coordinator nodded.
"Noted, Rudolf."
She turned and continued toward the back of the stage.
Rudolf watched her disappear.
She quietly exhaled.
A few moments later, Maruzensky approached.
"Hey, Rudolf."
Rudolf turned toward her.
"Maruzen."
Maruzensky noticed the expression on her face.
"You look worried."
Rudolf sighed.
"I hope this works."
Maruzensky placed a hand on Rudolf's shoulder.
"It has to work."
She looked across the hall.
Umamusume were talking amongst themselves.
Some were seated.
Others stood around their tables.
Servers were placing drinks down.
Staff members were making final preparations for dinner.
The atmosphere was cheerful.
But underneath it was something else.
Uncertainty.
Goodbye Halo had apologized.
Some had forgiven her.
Others had not.
And tonight would be another important step.
Maruzensky looked toward the stage.
"If Goodbye wants to gain everyone's trust..."
She paused.
"It begins on that stage."
Rudolf nodded.
"Right."
She wiped a small bead of sweat from her forehead.
"I'm so glad you're my adviser, Maruzen."
Maruzensky smiled confidently.
"That's why I'm here!"
Rudolf laughed softly.
Then the two looked toward the entrance.
They knew King would be arriving soon.
And neither of them knew exactly what would happen.
Behind the banquet hall doors, King Halo and Goodbye Halo stood together.
King placed one hand against the door handle.
She looked toward her mother.
"Are you ready?"
Goodbye looked at the door.
Then at King.
She slowly nodded.
But she remained silent.
King noticed.
She gave her a small smile.
"Alright, then."
She pushed the door open.
The doors swung inward.
King stepped into the banquet hall.
Goodbye followed closely behind.
For a brief moment, the room was quiet.
Then C.B. suddenly chuckled.
"There she is!"
Heads turned.
Those who had been seated began standing.
And then the applause started.
One table.
Then another.
Then another.
Within seconds, the entire hall erupted into a standing ovation.
King's eyes widened.
She hadn't expected it.
She raised one hand and began waving as she slowly walked forward.
"Thank you!"
She laughed.
"Thank you, everyone!"
The applause continued.
King's smile grew.
She looked around the room.
So many familiar faces.
Friends.
Rivals.
Trainers.
Officials.
People who had watched her grow.
People who had seen her at her best.
And people who had seen her at her worst.
She leaned slightly toward her mother.
"Go sit with Spe-chan and Suzuka."
Goodbye looked toward the table King had indicated.
King gestured toward it.
"I'll sit with the Triple Tiara and Crown winners."
Goodbye nodded.
"Alright."
She gently patted King's back.
"Go and join your winning friends."
King looked at her mother.
Then smiled.
The two nodded to one another.
Goodbye headed toward the side table.
King continued toward the front.
Goodbye reached the table where Silence Suzuka, Special Week, Narita Top Road, Haru Urara, and Rice Shower were seated.
Urara immediately raised her hand.
"Free seat here, Miss Halo!"
Goodbye smiled.
"Thank you."
She walked over.
She carefully pulled the chair backward, stepped between the chair and the table, then pulled it forward again before sitting down.
Special Week smiled politely.
"Good evening, Miss Halo."
"Good evening, Special Week."
Suzuka gave her a small nod.
"Good evening."
"Good evening, Suzuka."
Goodbye looked around the table.
For the first time that evening, she realized that she wasn't being treated as an outsider.
Not completely, anyway.
Some still watched her carefully.
Some still had doubts.
But they had allowed her to sit with them.
That meant something.
Goodbye quietly folded her hands in her lap.
Meanwhile, King had reached the front table.
C.B. raised a hand.
"King! Over here!"
King chuckled softly.
"I'm coming."
She walked toward the table where the Triple Tiara and Crown winners had gathered.
She took a seat near the edge and carefully pulled the chair forward.
Rudolf reached over and gently patted her shoulder.
"You look great, King."
King smiled.
She placed a hand against her chest.
"Thank you, Kaichou."
Rudolf smiled.
"You earned tonight."
King nodded.
She looked toward the stage.
Then toward her mother.
Goodbye was already seated.
Their eyes met.
Goodbye smiled.
King smiled back.
Then the lights near the stage brightened.
A host stepped onto the small podium.
The conversations gradually died down.
One by one, everyone turned toward the front.
The host smiled.
"Good evening, everyone."
He waited until the room was completely quiet.
"And welcome to the URA Tiara Dinner Reception."
Applause followed.
The host waited.
"This dinner reception is not only a celebration marking the conclusion of the Triple Tiara campaign."
He turned slightly toward King.
"It is also a celebration of our first-ever Double Slam recipient."
The room applauded again.
King smiled.
The host continued.
"And without further delay..."
He glanced toward King.
"May I please have Miss King Halo come up to the stage and give us a short message?"
King blinked.
"Me?"
Orfevre nodded.
"Go on, King."
King looked toward her.
"Say something simple."
King nodded.
"Okay, Orfevre-san."
Orfevre placed a hand over her chest.
"And please."
She smiled.
"Orfe is fine."
King smiled.
"You got the Double Slam."
Orfevre's expression became serious.
"You have my deepest respect."
King's smile softened.
She stood.
She placed a hand over her chest and respectfully bowed toward Orfevre.
"Thank you, Orfe."
She then walked toward the stage.
As King climbed the small steps, an organizer quietly moved toward the back.
Goodbye noticed.
The organizer gently gestured for her to follow.
Goodbye stood.
She followed the organizer behind the stage.
King reached the podium.
The host handed her the microphone.
King took it.
She looked across the enormous room.
For a moment, she simply stood there.
Then she smiled.
"I'll keep this short."
A few people laughed.
"So I won't take up all the time meant for dinner."
King chuckled.
"I already cried a lot today."
She paused.
"So I don't want to cry again."
The room laughed warmly.
Even Orfevre laughed.
King took a deep breath.
Then she looked across the hall again.
"Thank you."
Her voice became more sincere.
"Thank you, everyone, for supporting me from the beginning until the end."
She lowered her eyes for a moment.
"From my highest of highs..."
She paused.
"...to my lowest of lows."
The room became completely silent.
King continued.
"At the end of the day, the support and love you've given me is one of the reasons I kept running."
She raised one hand.
"So..."
Her smile returned.
"Thank you!"
The room erupted in applause.
King lowered the microphone.
Then she placed her hand against her chest.
And bowed deeply.
The applause continued.
Behind the stage, Goodbye stood holding the Triple Tiara trophy.
An organizer approached her.
"Give this to King."
Goodbye nodded.
"And have a few words to say as well."
Goodbye looked at the trophy.
"Alright."
The organizer gave her an encouraging smile.
"Use this chance to apologize too."
Goodbye nodded.
"I will."
"And remember."
The organizer lowered her voice.
"Try not to get too emotional. Keep it formal."
Goodbye nodded.
"I'll try."
She looked toward the stage.
King was still standing there.
Goodbye took a deep breath.
She could feel her heart beating faster.
This was it.
Rudolf had given her the opportunity.
King had forgiven her.
Others had given her varying degrees of acceptance.
But now she had to stand in front of everyone.
Not as an accomplished former racer.
Not as a successful businesswoman.
Not as someone who thought she knew better.
She was simply King's mother.
And she had something to say.
The host stepped forward.
"Without further ado, we will now have the Triple Tiara Trophy presentation."
He turned toward the audience.
"And it will be presented by King Halo's mother..."
He paused.
"Goodbye Halo."
The room became quiet.
Goodbye took another deep breath.
Then she walked out from backstage.
She climbed the small flight of stairs.
One step.
Then another.
Finally, she reached the stage.
An organizer handed her a microphone.
Goodbye accepted it.
She walked toward King.
King looked at her.
Her eyes widened slightly.
She hadn't expected to see her mother standing there with the trophy.
Goodbye smiled.
"King."
King blinked.
"Mother..."
Goodbye stopped in front of her daughter.
For a second, neither moved.
Then Goodbye spoke.
"I know we may not have had the best relationship."
She swallowed.
"And I know I've had my shortcomings."
She looked down briefly.
"I've made many mistakes."
Her fingers tightened around the microphone.
"But I want to make it up to you."
She looked directly at King.
"Starting today."
A pause.
"And into the future."
Goodbye looked at the trophy.
Then she lifted it slightly.
"King Halo."
King slowly extended her hands.
Goodbye placed the trophy into them.
"You are a Triple Tiara winner."
King looked down at the trophy.
"And the first-ever Umamusume Double Slam winner."
King's eyes began to water.
Goodbye continued.
"I couldn't be more proud of you, my daughter."
King looked up.
Goodbye's voice trembled.
"I'm really..."
She took a breath.
"Really proud of you."
She placed a hand over her chest.
"So proud."
A tear fell from King's eye.
Goodbye smiled through her own tears.
"And I mean that from the bottom of my heart."
King couldn't hold herself back anymore.
She stepped forward.
And pulled her mother into a hug.
Goodbye immediately hugged her back.
The entire banquet hall watched.
The two remained like that for several seconds.
No words were necessary.
Then King pulled back.
She wiped her eyes.
Goodbye did the same.
King looked at the trophy.
Then toward the crowd.
With one hand holding the trophy, she raised it high above her head.
The room exploded.
Everyone stood.
Applause thundered throughout the banquet hall.
Cheers echoed from every table.
King smiled.
Goodbye smiled beside her.
The applause continued.
Orfevre clapped.
She glanced toward Gentildonna.
"I've changed my mind."
Gentildonna looked at her.
"Oh?"
Orfevre nodded.
"I can forgive King's mother now."
Gentildonna nodded.
"So can I."
Further back, C.B. and Teio were clapping as well.
C.B. smiled.
"I can forgive her now."
Teio nodded.
"Me too."
Around them, more Umamusume began joining the applause.
Some had already accepted Goodbye.
Some had been uncertain.
Some had needed more time.
But seeing the two of them standing together on that stage had changed something.
Not everything.
Trust would not return in a single evening.
But perhaps that was never what tonight needed to accomplish.
It only needed to prove that change was possible.
And Goodbye had taken the first real step.
Rudolf watched from below the stage.
Maruzensky stood beside her.
Rudolf smiled.
"It worked."
Maruzensky nodded.
"Yeah."
Rudolf looked toward King.
"And she did it herself."
Maruzensky smiled.
"That's King."
The applause eventually began to fade.
King lowered the trophy.
The host stepped forward again.
"Thank you very much, King Halo and Goodbye Halo."
The two nodded.
King looked at her mother.
"Ready?"
Goodbye smiled.
"Ready."
Together, they stepped down from the stage.
King returned to her table, carrying the trophy carefully.
The moment she sat down, C.B. leaned toward her.
"Well?"
King raised an eyebrow.
"Well what?"
C.B. smiled.
"How does it feel?"
King looked at the trophy.
She smiled.
"First rate."
Rudolf laughed.
"Of course."
Orfevre raised her glass.
"To King Halo."
Gentildonna raised hers.
"To the Double Slam Champion."
C.B. lifted hers.
"To the King."
Soon, glasses were raised across the table.
King looked toward her mother.
Goodbye was still standing near the stage.
Their eyes met again.
Goodbye smiled.
King smiled back.
Then Goodbye returned to her seat beside Special Week, Suzuka, Top Road, Urara, and Rice Shower.
Urara immediately leaned toward her.
"Miss Halo!"
Goodbye turned.
"Yes?"
"You did really good!"
Goodbye smiled.
"Thank you, Urara."
Urara grinned.
"King is going to be really happy."
Goodbye looked toward her daughter.
"I hope so."
Special Week smiled.
"I think she is."
Suzuka nodded.
"She is."
Goodbye quietly smiled.
The formal part of the evening soon came to an end.
The host thanked everyone once more before inviting everyone to begin dinner.
Almost immediately, the banquet hall came alive again.
Servers began moving through the room.
The buffet opened.
Plates were filled.
Conversations resumed.
Laughter returned.
The serious atmosphere from the trophy presentation slowly dissolved into something warmer.
Something more ordinary.
And perhaps that was exactly what everyone needed.
At Oguri's table, Tamamo immediately noticed Oguri staring at the buffet.
"Go ahead."
Oguri looked at her.
"Really?"
"Yes."
Oguri stood immediately.
Tamamo groaned.
"That was way too easy."
Super Creek laughed.
"Let her enjoy herself."
Across the room, Tachyon continued eating while still occasionally glancing at her tablet.
Pokke stared at her.
"You're still researching?"
"Of course."
Cafe sighed.
"She really is."
Dantsu Flame laughed.
"Some things never change."
At the main table, King carefully placed her trophy beside her chair.
She looked at it once.
Then she picked up her fork.
C.B. noticed.
"You're actually going to eat?"
King looked offended.
"Of course I am."
"Good."
C.B. smiled.
"Because we've been waiting for you."
King looked around the table.
Rudolf.
Maruzensky.
Chiyono O.
Forever Young.
Gentildonna.
Orfevre.
C.B.
And several other friends who had been there throughout her journey.
King smiled.
"Then let's eat."
Orfevre raised her fork.
"Finally."
King laughed.
"You were complaining about being hungry?"
"Naturally."
Gentildonna shook her head.
"Of course you were."
King picked up her plate.
Across the hall, Goodbye watched her daughter laugh with her friends.
She didn't interrupt.
She didn't need to.
She simply watched.
And smiled.
Special Week noticed.
"You can go talk to her if you want."
Goodbye shook her head.
"Not yet."
She looked at King.
"Tonight is her night."
Suzuka nodded.
"She'll come to you."
Goodbye smiled.
"I know."
A few minutes later, King happened to look across the room.
She saw her mother.
Their eyes met.
King smiled.
Then she raised her fork slightly.
Goodbye laughed.
She raised her own glass.
King did the same.
No words.
Just a small gesture between mother and daughter.
Then King turned back toward the table.
"Maruzen."
Maruzensky looked at her.
"Hm?"
"Pass me that."
"The roast?"
"Yes."
Maruzensky passed the dish.
King served herself.
C.B. laughed.
"You've been waiting all day for this."
King took her first bite.
She closed her eyes.
Then smiled.
"After the day I've had?"
She took another bite.
"I've earned it."
Rudolf laughed.
"You certainly have."
The conversation continued.
Racing.
Cars.
The Double Slam.
The forty-five-length victory.
The future.
Dream Trophy League.
The memories of the Triple Tiara.
Everyone had something to say.
And slowly, the banquet became less like an awards ceremony and more like a gathering of friends.
The food began disappearing from the tables.
The drinks were refilled.
The laughter grew louder.
Even those who had been exhausted after the day's events found themselves relaxing.
King sat among the people who had supported her.
Her trophy rested beside her.
Her mother was only a few tables away.
And for once, King didn't feel the need to worry about tomorrow.
She didn't need to think about whether she had proven herself.
She didn't need to think about whether she had lived up to her mother's legacy.
She didn't need to think about records.
Or newspapers.
Or expectations.
She had already run.
She had already won.
And now she was simply eating dinner with the people she cared about.
King took another bite.
She looked around the table.
"Hey."
Everyone looked at her.
King smiled.
"Thank you."
C.B. raised an eyebrow.
"For what?"
King looked around again.
"For being there."
The table became quiet for a moment.
Then Rudolf smiled.
"Always."
Maruzensky nodded.
"Always."
C.B. raised her glass.
"Always."
Gentildonna smiled.
"Of course."
Orfevre crossed her arms.
"Don't get sentimental."
King laughed.
"You too, Orfe."
Orfevre smiled.
"Especially me."
King shook her head.
Then she looked toward her mother.
Goodbye was watching.
King smiled.
Goodbye smiled back.
And that was enough.
The night continued.
The food was shared.
Stories were told.
Laughter echoed across the banquet hall.
And somewhere between the first course and the last dessert, the weight that had followed King throughout the entire season finally began to lift.
The Twinkle Series was over.
The Triple Tiara was complete.
The Double Slam belonged to her.
The future of the Dream Trophy League waited beyond the horizon.
But none of that mattered for the moment.
Tonight, King Halo was simply sitting at a dinner table with her friends.
And her mother was there too.
Not as a former champion.
Not as a businesswoman.
Not as the woman who had once tried to decide her daughter's future for her.
Just as Goodbye Halo.
Her mother.
King picked up her glass.
She looked around the table.
Then she smiled.
"To the future."
Rudolf raised her glass.
"To the future."
Everyone followed.
Glasses clinked together.
King looked toward the trophy one last time.
The gold caught the warm light above the banquet hall.
She smiled.
Then she returned her attention to the dinner in front of her.
The night was still young.
There would be new roads.
New races.
New cars.
New challenges.
And a completely different chapter waiting for her in the Dream Trophy League.
But for now...
There was nowhere else King Halo needed to be.
She was surrounded by friends.
Her mother was beside them.
Her trophy was within reach.
And dinner was still being served.
For the first time in a long time, King simply allowed herself to enjoy the moment.
No expectations.
No pressure.
No fear.
Just laughter.
Just food.
Just family.
And the people who had chosen to stay.
King smiled as she took another bite.
The King had finished one journey.
But she was nowhere near finished yet.
Her story was only beginning.