The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the dormitory corridor a warm orange.
Myriad Dreams and Seiun Sky returned to the entrance of Sky's room, chatting and laughing while carrying their small bucket full of spoils and their fishing gear.
"We had really great luck today. This sweetfish is bound to be plump and delicious," Seiun Sky said with a smile, pulling her key from her pocket.
"Hehe, it's mostly because your technique is so good, Sky. If you hadn't lowered the landing net so quickly for that big one at the end, it probably would've gotten away."
The door opened with a click.
Just as the two stepped into the room, they came face-to-face with a roommate who was just about to head out.
She was an Uma Musume with a capable aura and a crisp ponytail— none other than Sakura Laurel, who was currently at the peak of her popularity.
Seeing Myriad Dreams behind Seiun Sky, a hint of appropriate surprise surfaced on her face.
"Myriad Dreams-san? What are you doing here?"
Myriad Dreams hadn't expected to bump into Sky's roommate and felt a bit bashful for a moment.
She instinctively raised the bucket containing the fish. "Ah, hello... I just went fishing with Sky for a bit."
"Fishing?"
Sakura Laurel's gaze swept back and forth between the bucket in Myriad Dreams' hand and Seiun Sky's face.
Suddenly realizing, a bright smile appeared on her face.
"Ah! So you're the 'fishing buddy' Sky is always talking about! She often says that she's at her most relaxed only when she's fishing with you."
Myriad Dreams grew even more embarrassed by the remark and scratched her cheek. "I guess... so."
Sakura Laurel extended her hand gracefully, introducing herself formally.
"I'm Sakura Laurel, Seuin Sky's roommate. It's a pleasure to meet you, Myriad Dreams-san. I hear Sky mention you often."
Myriad Dreams hurriedly freed a hand to shake hers. Hearing the name, she suddenly remembered something, and her eyes widened slightly.
"Sakura Laurel... Ah! So you're the Sakura Laurel that Marvelous Sunday talks about!"
This time it was Sakura Laurel's turn to be puzzled. She tilted her head slightly.
"Marvelous Sunday? She mentioned me?"
Myriad Dreams nodded vigorously, her tone part protective of her friend and part teasing.
"Yeah! She said she lost to you in the Arima Kinen, and it kept her depressed for quite a while! She even complained to me that losing a G1 feels completely different from losing a G2."
Hearing this, Sakura Laurel was stunned for a moment before she couldn't help but let out a "pfft" and a laugh.
Her smile held a bit of understanding and the mutual respect shared between competitors.
"I see. That race... Marvelous Sunday-san really ran excellently. She is a respectable opponent."
"Looks like I'll have to be careful the next time I see her. She might be thinking about revenge."
The three of them couldn't help but laugh together. A relaxed atmosphere filled the small dormitory.
Seiun Sky put the bucket in the washroom and then stepped out to suggest: "Laurel, you just finished training, right? We happened to catch some nice sweetfish, do you want to try some with us?"
A glint of a smile flashed in Sakura Laurel's eyes, and she nodded readily.
"That sounds lovely, I'll gratefully accept. I happen to have some nice tea leaves that would pair perfectly with grilled fish."
...
...
...
The aroma of grilled fish still lingered on Myriad Dreams' breath.
After saying goodbye to Sky and the others, she hurried back to her own dormitory, carrying two perfectly grilled sweetfish wrapped in oil paper that she had specifically set aside.
The sky was now completely dark, and the streetlights cast a long, hurried shadow of her on the ground.
As she walked, she looked at the messages on her terminal from Yaeno Muteki.
The tone evolved from the initial "Have you not returned yet, Myriad-chan?" to the later "Training should have ended long ago, is something wrong?"
Though the wording remained polite, Myriad Dreams could vaguely sense a hint of undetectable anxiety hidden beneath the text.
'I need to get back quickly...'
Without realizing when it had started, she had developed a certain understanding.
If she returned too late, or if she were discovered to have spent too much time with another Uma Musume, Muteki would become very strange.
That "strangeness" didn't involve accusations or arguments, but rather a low-pressure atmosphere mixed with disappointment, silence, and excessive concern that left her even more at a loss.
To avoid such situations, she chose to return on time obediently.
Pushing open the dormitory door, she found Yaeno Muteki sitting at her desk under the warm light, seemingly reviewing training notes.
However, Myriad Dreams keenly noticed that the instant she entered, the other girl's spine stiffened imperceptibly for a moment before slowly relaxing.
"I'm back, Muteki," Myriad Dreams said, trying to make her tone sound as natural as possible.
Yaeno Muteki turned around, her face wearing the same gentle smile as any other day.
"Welcome back, Myriad-chan. You seem a bit later than usual today."
Her gaze swept seemingly casually over the oil-paper package in Myriad Dreams' hand, her nose twitching slightly.
"What a fragrant scent. Is this...?"
"Oh, this," Myriad Dreams held up the package and confessed honestly. "I went fishing with Seiun Sky. We had a good catch, so we grilled some fish."
"These two are for you— want to try? Sky's cooking is actually really good."
As she spoke, she handed over the grilled fish, attempting to use the food to change the subject.
Yaeno Muteki took the warm oil-paper package, her fingertips lightly grazing the rough surface of the paper.
Her smile remained unchanged, and her voice was as soft as ever.
"So that's how it is. You went fishing with Seiun-san. It must have been very pleasant, right?"
There was no detectable anomaly in her tone, yet Myriad Dreams felt a mysterious sense of pressure, as if she were being scrutinized by an invisible gaze.
Regardless, she nodded. "Yeah, it was alright. Just relaxing for a bit."
Yaeno Muteki opened the paper, and the charred aroma of grilled fish immediately filled the dorm.
She looked down at the golden-brown fish and said softly, "I'm very happy that Myriad-chan remembered to bring some back for me."
She lifted her eyes, looking tenderly at Myriad Dreams.
"However, next time if you're going somewhere or if you'll be returning late, could you let me know in advance? I'll... worry about you."
Her tone was filled with care, the very image of a considerate roommate.
Looking at that flawless expression, the slight unease in Myriad Dreams' heart became even more apparent.
She could only nod. "Oh... okay, I got it."
"Eat quickly, it won't taste good once it's cold."
Yaeno Muteki handed one fish back to Myriad Dreams and picked up the other herself, taking small, elegant bites.
Taking the fish, Myriad Dreams felt a secret sigh of relief, feeling that tonight would pass peacefully.
As she ate the delicious fish, she stole a glance at the quietly eating Yaeno Muteki beside her.
'Muteki is clearly very gentle and reasonable... so why do I always feel... a little nervous?'
She shook her head, attributing the confusion to overthinking, and continued to focus on the food.
Meanwhile, amidst the curling steam and aroma, Yaeno Muteki lowered her eyes, hiding the flash of complex emotions deep within regarding the time Myriad Dreams had spent with someone else.
As she chewed the tender fish, she thought to herself...
'Seiun Sky... fishing... It seems Myriad-chan has quite a few ways to "relax," doesn't she?'