"That won't do, Shirayuki."
Inside the dance studio, the instructor critiqued Shirayuki's steps.
"Your movements are too stiff. There's no flow between beats, and your expressions are lacking. If this continues, you'll have to retake the next dance exam."
Shirayuki silently nodded.
"In short, you need to improve your movements. Practice more during your free time. With flexibility like yours, you shouldn't be making mistakes like this."
The bell rang, and the instructor left the room.
Special Week quickly ran over.
"It's okay, Shirayuki!" she said immediately, trying to comfort her. "Even if it's different from what the teacher showed, I can tell your movements are strong and powerful. It has its own unique charm! I really like your dancing!"
"Thanks, Spe-chan."
Shirayuki gave a small smile.
She had already lost count of how many times she'd been criticized. The reason was always the same. She couldn't dance properly.
It wasn't surprising. This was her first time seriously learning dance in over twenty years. Sure, she'd tried it before when friends dragged her along, but that had been street dance.
Something like a Winning Live performance was completely new.
At first, she thought she could just wing it. But once she actually tried, she realized it was far harder than expected. Especially with all the requirements the instructor kept mentioning.
"Show a cute smile."
"Make your movements more lively."
"Look cheerful."
She had seen those poses before, but doing them naturally without buildup was incredibly difficult.
Meanwhile, the rest of the class was doing fairly well. Especially Special Week. Her smile was genuinely adorable.
…Is it because they're real girls, and I'm only half one?
Shirayuki fell into thought.
At that moment, Mejiro McQueen, still in her dance outfit, walked over.
"That won't do, Spe-chan," McQueen said. "Shirayuki's problem isn't just confidence. Telling her she's fine won't help her improve. If anything, it'll make it harder for her to fix her dancing."
"Ah, no, that's not what I meant!" Special Week panicked. "I just meant Shirayuki shouldn't feel discouraged! Her style has its own charm… just… not the kind the teacher wants!"
McQueen covered her face briefly. "Let me handle this."
She turned back to Shirayuki.
"I've figured out your problem. Your femininity is too low!"
"W-What!?" Shirayuki took a step back.
"My femininity… is low?"
"Exactly." McQueen placed her hands on her hips. "The way you talk and act is far too rough. You're practically like a boy. But dance requires delicacy, a sense of youthful femininity. Your current state doesn't match that at all. If you don't change your approach, you'll never improve."
"I… see."
She had a point.
Every time Shirayuki danced, she felt irritated. The delicate movements just didn't suit her. She'd rather do street dance than make heart shapes with her hands and blow kisses.
Honestly, watching Uma Musume do those moves was charming. Doing them herself? It felt weird.
Still, as a Uma Musume, this was something she had to overcome. Winning Lives were part of racing. A stage of glory, and a way to thank the fans.
If she was serious about this path, then she had to do it properly.
"Then what should I do, McQueen?"
"Simple. You need to cultivate your femininity."
"That's something you can train?"
"Of course." McQueen nodded. "Charm, etiquette, cultural refinement, lifestyle habits, and finally, social and leadership skills."
Every Mejiro Uma Musume was raised with that kind of education, especially etiquette.
"No wonder you look so elegant even when eating cake," Shirayuki said.
"I take great care in dining manners, after all."
"So hiding cake in your bag counts as dining manners too?"
"Where did you. Ahem. Don't spread baseless rumors, Shirayuki. I would never do something so unbecoming."
"I saw you in the cafeteria corner."
"We're talking about you right now!" McQueen snapped, tail flicking. "My matters are irrelevant!"
"Sorry."
"In any case, if you want to learn, I can teach you. Or you can ask Dober. She's not great socially, but she remembers everything the Mejiro family taught."
"Then I'll ask her later."
Shirayuki decided she would try improving her femininity.
But before that, she took out the glasses and headed toward Agnes Tachyon's lab. She needed to return them.
The affection system worked incredibly well, but it ran out of battery in less than half an hour. Tachyon seriously needed to improve that. Maybe this thing could even help improve relationships between Uma Musume in the future.
When she arrived, Shirayuki knocked twice.
A few seconds later, the door opened.
A black-haired girl with golden eyes stood there.
Shirayuki froze.
"Manhattan Cafe-senpai?"
"Shirayuki." The girl looked slightly surprised. "Please, come in."
"Ah, okay."
Shirayuki stepped inside.
The moment she entered, it felt like she had walked into another world.
The curtains were drawn. A lamp shaped like a celestial body sat on the table. Soft, dim light reflected off the walls, illuminating murals of galaxies and stars. The entire room felt mystical, like something out of a fairy tale.
"Please wait. I'll prepare some coffee."
Manhattan Cafe lifted a curtain and disappeared into the inner room.
Left alone, Shirayuki sat stiffly on the sofa.
Did I just get transported somewhere?
Wasn't this supposed to be Agnes Tachyon's lab?
Why did it suddenly feel like a completely different place?
Her gaze drifted to a music box on the table.
Was that there before?
She frowned.
The slightly open music box seemed to pull her in, like it had some kind of strange allure.
Just as she reached out, her wrist was suddenly grabbed.
A dark figure stood beside her.
"Senpai, you're back."
"Don't touch it," the figure said. "Or something bad will happen."
"Something bad?"
Before Shirayuki could ask more, the figure turned and left the room.
"Senpai, where are you going?"
"You've been waiting."
A gentle voice came from the inner room.
The curtain lifted again.
Manhattan Cafe returned, holding a cup of coffee.
"I made it light. I hope it suits your taste."
Shirayuki stared.
Then glanced at the door that had just closed.
Then back at Manhattan Cafe.
Her eyes slowly widened.